Acoustics and Vibrations in Buildings and their Envelopes

Recommended Prerequisites

Undergraduate (first cycle) course in Civil Engineering or similar area.

Teaching Methods

The classes will be mainly theoretical and practical, where concepts and theory will be lectured, using projection audio-visual media, as well as practical application exercises will be demonstrated. Whenever possible questions in the same topics will be addressed to the students leading them to new knowledge and its consolidation. In the same classes, application problems will be solved by the students, under the teacher supervision.

Learning Outcomes

The objective of the curricular unit is to present and deepen basic knowledge in the area of building physics, in what concerns knowledge and abilities related to building acoustics and vibrations. The scope of the knowledge will be extended in order to enable students to:

i) understand the physical phenomena of sound and vibration propagation and the basic principles of insulation;

ii) understand the behavior of different materials and constructive solutions, regarding sound and vibration propagation and insulation;

iii) know and apply the national legislation on building acoustics;

iv) know, in generality, the main tests in building acoustics and for materials and constructive solutions' characterization.

Acquiring synthesis and analysis capabilities, oral and written communication, problems solving, critical reflection, autonomous learning and practical application of theoretical knowledge.    

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. General concepts on acoustics

Sound propagation; Acoustic quantities and parameters; Sound sources; Response of the human ear; Time and frequency domains analyses.

2. Room acoustics

Sound field inside a room; Absorption factor; Reverberation time; Absorptive materials and systems; Principles of room acoustics.

3. Airborne sound insulation

Sound reduction characterization: measuring techniques and simplified prediction models for different kinds of building elements (single, double, triple and heterogeneous); Indirect sound transmission; Technologies for sound insulation.

4. Impact noise insulation

Impact noise propagation; Measuring techniques and simplified prediction methods; Technologies for sound insulation.

5. Noise and vibration of building equipments and installations

6. Legal and normative requisites in building acoustics

Standards; Portuguese national regulation on noise and building acoustics requirements.

Head Lecturer(s)

Paulo Jorge Rodrigues Amado Mendes

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 20.0%
Exam: 80.0%

Bibliography

Tadeu, A., Mateus, D., António, J., Godinho, L., Amado Mendes, P., "Acústica Aplicada", apontamentos de apoio à disciplina, DEC-FCTUC, 2010.

Patrício, J., "Acústica nos Edifícios", 6ª ed., Verlag Dashofer, 412 pp., 2010.

Vigran, T.E., "Building Acoustics", Taylor & Francis, 2008.

Domingues, O., "A acústica nos edifícios: materiais e sistemas absorventes sonoros: coeficientes de absorção sonora", LNEC, 2005.

Domingues, O., "A acústica nos edifícios: pavimentos e revestimentos de pavimentos, isolamento a sons de percussão", LNEC, 2008.

Harris, C.M. (ed.), "Handbook of noise control", McGraw-Hill, 1957.

Josse, R., "Notions d'acoustique : à l'usage des architectes, ingénieurs et urbanistes", 3ª ed., Ed. Eyrolles, 1977.

Meisser, M., "Acustica de los edificios", Ed. Técnicos Asociados, 1973.

Martins da Silva, P., "Acústica de edifícios", Informação técnica. Edifícios, 8, LNEC, 1978.

Martins da Silva, P., "Projecto de condicionamento acústico de edifícios", LNEC, 2006.