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Building Util Summary Notes

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DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Visayas State University


Visca, Baybay City, Leyte, PHILIPPINES
Email: dce@vsu.edu.ph
Website: www.vsu.edu.ph

CENG 122N – ENGINEERING UTILITIES 2


2ND SEM – A.Y. 2020-2021
OFFERING NUMBER : Z129, Z131, Z133

FINAL EXAM COVERAGE AND NOTES


FINAL EXAM: JULY 16. 2021 | 8:00AM – 5:00PM

FIRE FIGHTING AND FIRE SUPPRESSION


1.) Fire and Fire Hazard
Formulation of Fire
Oxygen + Fuel + Heat

Development of Fire
1. Incipient – begins when heat, oxygen and a fuel source combine and have a chemical
reaction resulting in fire
Ignition Point - the lowest temperature at which a substance will undergo
spontaneous combustion and continue to burn without additional application of
external heat

2. Growth – where the structures fire load and oxygen are used as fuel for the fire

3. Fully Developed – growth stage has reached its maximum and all combustible
materials have been ignited
Flashover – a rapid transition between the growth and fully developed stages

4. Decay – a significant decrease in oxygen or fuel, putting an end to the fire

Types of Fire
1. Class A Fire – a fire involving ordinary combustible materials, such as wood, paper,
and cloth, on which the quenching or cooling effect of water is of primary
importance

2. Class B Fire – a fire involving flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, and grease,
which must be extinguished by excluding air and inhibiting the release of
combustible vapors

3. Class C Fire – a fire involving live electrical equipment, which requires a


nonconducting extinguishing medium

4. Class D Fire – a fire involving certain combustible metals, such as magnesium or


sodium, which requires a nonreactive, heat-absorbing extinguishing medium

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
5. Class E or K Fire

2.) Fire Safety in Building


Design
Fire Safety - The measures taken to prevent fir or minimize the loss of life or property
resulting from a fire, including limiting fire loads and hazards; confining the spread of
fire with fire-resistant construction; the use of fire detection and extinguishing
systems; the establishment of adequate firefighting services; and the training of
building occupants in fire safety and evacuation procedures.

• Materials
Fire-Rated – noting or pertaining to a material, assembly, or construction having a
fire-resistance rating required by its use. Also, fire-resistive

Flame Retardant – a compound used to raise the ignition point of a flammable


material, thus making it more resistant to fire

Fireproofing – any of various materials, such as concrete, lath and plaster, or gypsum
board, used in making a building material, member, or system resistant to damage
or destruction by fire
a. Spray-on Fireproofing – a mixture of mineral fibers and an inorganic binder,
applied by air pressure with a spray gun to provide a thermal barrier to the
heat of a fire

b. Intumescent Paint – a coating that, when exposed to the heat of a fire, swells to
form a thick insulating layer of inert gas bubbles that retards flame spread and
combustion

c. Liquid-filled Column – a hollow structural-steel column filled with water to


increase its fire resistance. If exposed to flame, the water absorbs heat, rises
by convection to remove the heat, and is replaced with cooler water from a
storage tank or a city water main

• Site Development
Fire Zone – a zone of a city within which certain construction types are prohibited
because of fire hazards present in the zone

Firebreak – an open space established to prevent the spread of fire from a building, a
group of buildings, or an area of a city to another

• Structures
Fire Separation – any floor, wall, or roof-ceiling construction having the required
fire-resistance rating to confine the spread of fire

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
a. Occupancy Separation – a vertical or horizontal construction having the
required fire-resistance rating to prevent the spread of fire from one
occupancy to another in a mixed-occupancy building

b. Fire Wall – a wall having the required fire-resistance rating to prevent the spread
of fire from one part of a building to another, extending from the foundation
to a parapet above the roof and having all openings restricted to a certain
percentage of the wall length and protected by a self-closing or automatic-
closing fire assembly. Each portion of a building separated by one or more
fire walls may be considered a separate building when calculating the floor
area and height allowed by a building code

c. Distance Separation – the separation required between an exterior wall of a


building and a property line, the center line of an adjacent street or public
space, or the exterior wall of an adjacent building, all measured at right angles
to the exterior wall

Fire Assembly – the assembly of a fire door, fire window, or fire damper, including
all required hardware, anchorage, frames, and sills
a. Self-Closing Fire Assembly – a fire assembly that is normally kept in a closed
position and is equipped with an approved device to insure closing and
latching after having been opened for use

b. Automatic-Closing Fire Assembly – a fire assembly that may remain in an open


position and will close automatically if subjected to an increase in temperature
or actuated by a smoke detector

Fire Area – an area of a building enclosed by fire-rated construction capable of


confining the spread of fire

Means of Egress – a continuous path of travel from any point in a building to the
outside at ground level
a. Exit Access – that portion of a means of egress that leads to an exit. Building
codes specify the maximum distance of travel to an exit and the minimum
distance between exits when two or more are required

b. Exit – an enclosed an protected path of escape for the occupants of a building in


the event of fire, leading from an exit access to an exit discharge
i. Exit Door – a door providing access to a means of egress, swinging in the
direction of exit travel, and usually equipped with a panic bar

c. Exit Corridor – a passageway serving as a required exit, enclosed by walls of


fire-resistive construction. Building codes limit the length of dead-end
corridors

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
i. Horizontal Exit – a passage through or around a wall constructed as required
for an occupancy separation, protected by an automatic-closing fire door,
and leading to an area of refuge in the same building or on approximately
the same level in an adjacent building

d. Area of Refuge – an area affording safety from fire or smoke coming from the
area from which escape is made and where persons unable to use stairways
can remain temporarily to await assistance during an emergency evacuation.
Also called area of rescue assistance

e. Smokeproof Enclosure – the enclosing of an exit stairway by walls of fire-


resistive construction, accessible by a vestibule or by an open exterior
balcony, and ventilated by natural or mechanical means to limit the
penetration of smoke and heat. Building codes usually require one or more of
the exit stairways for a high-rise building be protected by a smokeproof
enclosure
i. Fire Escape – an exit stairway down an outside wall of a building, constructed
to the same standards as an interior exit stairway

ii. Exit Stairway – a stairway leading to an exit passageway, an exit court, or


public way, enclosed by fire-resistive construction with self-closing fire
doors that swing in the direction of exit travel

f. Exit Discharge – that portion of a means of egress that leads from an exit to an
exit court or public way. Also called egress court
i. Exit Passageway – a means of egress connecting a required exit or exit court
with a public way, having no openings other than required exits and
enclosed by fire-resistive construction as required for the walls, floors, and
ceiling of the building served

ii. Exit Court – a yard or court providing egress to a public way for one or more
required exits

• Fire Suppression
1. Standpipe – a water pipe extending vertically through a building to supply fire hoses
at every floor

Classes of Standpipe System


a. Class I – provided with 64 mm (2 ½ in.) hose connections for full-scale firefighting

b. Class II – provided with 38 mm (1 ½ in.) hose or within 37 meters of a hose


connection shall be provided with 38 mm (1 ½ in.) hose connections for first aid
firefighting

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unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
c. Class III – provided with hose connections as required for both Class I and Class
II systems

Types of Standpipes
a. Dry Standpipe – a standpipe containing no water and used by the fire department
to connect fire hoses to a fire hydrant or pumper truck

b. Wet Standpipe – a standpipe containing water under pressure and fitted with fire
hoses for emergency use by building occupants

c. Combination Standpipe – filled with water and connected to a constant water


supply

Parts of a Standpipe

b. Water Source
i. Hydrant – an upright pipe with one or more nozzles or spouts for drawing water
from a main, esp. for fighting fires. Also called fire hydrant, fireplug

ii. Fire Truck

iii. Watertank/Fire Reserve

c. Fire Department House Connection


i. Siamese – a pipe fitting installed close to the ground on the exterior of a building,
providing two or more connections through which the fire department can
pump water to a standpipe or sprinkler system

ii. 4-way Fire Service Connection

d. Standpipe

e. Fire Service Outlet with Fire Hose

2. Sprinkler System – apparatus for automatically extinguish fires in a building,


consisting of a system of pipes in or below the ceilings, connected to a suitable water
supply, and supplied with valves or sprinkler heads made to open automatically at a
certain temperature

Types of Sprinkler System


a. Automatic Fire-Extinguishing System – a system of devices and equipment that
automatically detects a fire and discharges an approved fire-extinguishing agent
onto or in the area of a fire

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
b. Wet-Pipe System – a sprinkler system containing water at sufficient pressure to
provide an immediate, continuous discharge through sprinkler heads that open
automatically in the event of fire

c. Dry-Pipe System – a sprinkler system containing pressurized air that is released


when a sprinkler head opens in the event of fire, allowing water to flow through
the piping and out the opened nozzle. Dry-pipe systems are used where the piping
is subject to freezing

d. Deluge System – a sprinkler system having sprinkler heads open at all times,
through which water flow is controlled by a valve operated by a heat-, smoke-,
or flame-sensing device

Parts of Sprinkler System

a. Water Source
i. Fire Tank
ii. Water Main

b. Fire Pump – a pump that provides the required water pressure in a standpipe or
sprinkler system when the pressure in the system drops below a preselected value
With Jockey Pump

c. Alarm Valve

d. Main Pipe Network


i. Riser
ii. Range
iii. Branch
iv. Dropper

e. Sprinkler Head – a nozzle in a sprinkler system for dispersing a stream or spray of


water, usually controlled by a fusible link that melts at a predetermined
temperature
i. Conventional
ii. Upright
iii. Pendant
iv. Horizontal Sidewall
v. Vertical Sidewall
vi. Recessed Pendant
vii. Concealed Horizontal Sidewall
viii. Concealed Pendant

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
AIRCONDITIONING SYSTEM
A system or process for simultaneously controlling the temperature, humidity, purity,
distribution, and motion of the air in an interior space, esp. one capable of cooling

Heat - a form of energy associated with the random motion of atoms or molecules, capable
of being transmitted by convection, conduction, or radiation and causing substances to rise
in temperature, fuse, expand, or evaporate

1.) Units of Heat


1. Fahrenheit Scale - a temperature scale in which 32°F represents the freezing point
and 212°F the boiling point of water under standard atmospheric pressure

2. Celsius Scale – a temperature scale divided into 100 degrees, in which 0°C represents
the freezing point and 100°C the boiling point of water under standard atmospheric
pressure. Also called Centigrade scale

3. Kelvin Scale – an absolute scale of temperature having zero point of -273.16°C

4. British Thermal Unit – the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one
pound (0.4 kg) of water 1°F. Abbr.: Btu

Therm – a unit of heat equal to 100,000 British thermal units

5. Calorie – a unit of heat equal to the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature
of one gram of water 1°C at a pressure of one atmosphere, equivalent to 4.186 joule.
Abbr.: cal. Also called gram calorie, small calorie

Kilocalorie – a unit of heat equal to the quantity of het required to raise the temperature
of one kilogram of water 1°C at a pressure of one atmosphere, equivalent to 1000
small calories. Abbr.: Cal. Also called kilogram calorie, large calorie

2.) Heat Transfer


Principles of Heat Transfer
1. Thermal Conductance – the time rate of heat flow through a unit area of a given
material when the temperature difference across a specified thickness of the
material is one unit of temperature

2. Thermal Resistance – the reciprocal of thermal conductance, expressed as the


temperature difference required to cause heat to flow through a unit area of a
material of given thickness at the rate of one heat unit per unit time

3. Thermal Transmittance – the time rate of heat flow through a unit area of a building
component or assembly when the difference between the air temperatures on the
two sides of the component or assembly is one unit of temperature. Also called
coefficient of heat transfer
The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
Methods of Heat Transfer
1. Conduction – the transfer of heat from the warmer to the cooler particles of a medium
or of two bodies in direct contact, occurring without perceptible displacement of the
particles themselves

2. Convection – the transfer of heat by the circulatory motion of the heated parts of a
liquid or gas owing to a variation in density and the action of gravity

3. Radiation – the process in which energy in the form of waves or particles is emitted
by one body, passed through an intervening medium or space, and absorbed by
another body

3.) Thermal Comfort – human comfort as determined by the ability of the body to dissipate
the heat and moisture it produces by metabolic action

Relative Humidity – the ratio of the amount of water vapor actually present in the air to
the maximum amount that the air could hold at the same temperature, expressed as a
percentage. Abbr.: rh

Temperature – a measure of the warmth or coldness of a substance, object, or


environment with reference to some standard value

Ideal Temperature for Human Habitation = 18°-22°C

4.) Air Conditioning System – a system or process for simultaneously controlling the
temperature, humidity, purity, distribution, and motion of the air in an interior space,
esp. one capable of cooling

Air Conditioner – any device or apparatus for controlling, esp. lowering, the temperature
and humidity of a space

Refrigeration Process
1. Compressive Refrigeration – a refrigeration process in which cooling is effected by
the vaporization and expansion of a liquid refrigerant
a. Evaporator – the component of a refrigeration system in which the refrigerant
absorbs heat from a cooling medium and changes from a liquid to a gas

b. Compressor – a pump or other machine for reducing the volume and increasing
the pressure of a gas

c. Condenser – a device for reducing a vapor or gas to liquid or solid form

d. Coolant – a fluid agent for reducing the temperature of a system below a specified
value by conducting away the heat produced in the operation of the system

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
Refrigerant – a liquid capable of vaporizing at a low temperature, such as
ammonia, used in mechanical refrigeration
2. Absorption Refrigeration – a refrigeration process that uses a generator and an
absorber instead of a compressor to transfer heat
a. Evaporator

b. Absorber – the component of an absorption-refrigeration system that uses a saline


solution to draw water vapor from the evaporator, cooling the remaining water
in the process

c. Generator – the component of an absorption-refrigeration system that uses a heat


source to remove excess water vapor from a saline solution

d. Condenser

Types of Air Conditioning Units


1. Window Air Conditioning Unit (WACU)

2. Split Type (Condenser and Evaporator)


a. Cassette
b. Free Standing
Window Air Conditioning Unit

Free Standing
Split Type

Cassette Split Type

3. Central Air Conditioning – an


air-conditioning system that
treats air at a central location
and distributes the conditioned
air to an entire building by
means of fans and ductwork

a. Variable Air Volume

b. Constant/Continuous Air
Volume

c. Cooling Tower – a structure,


usually on roof of a
The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
building, in which heat is
extracted from water that
has been used for cooling

MOVING RAMP, ESCALATOR, AND ELEVATORS


1.) Moving Ramp/Moving Walkway/Moving
Sidewalk– a power-driven, continuously
moving surface, similar to a conveyor belt,
used for carrying pedestrians horizontally
or along low inclines

Parts of a Moving Ramp


1. Combplate – the toothed portion of the
threshold plate at both ends of an
escalator or moving walk, designed to
mesh with the grooved surface of the
moving steps or Treadway

2. Moving Surface
a. Pallet Type – flat metal plates join together to form a walkway
b. Moving Belt – mesh metal belts or rubber over metal rollers

3. Motor

4. Baluster

2.) Escalator/Moving Staircase/Moving Stairway


Parts of an Escalator
1. Combplate – the toothed portion of the
threshold plate at both ends of an escalator
or moving walk, designed to mesh with the
grooved surface of the moving steps or Straight Run
treadway

2. Moving Surface

3. Newel – the horizontal section of railing at the


upper or lower end of an escalator

4. Motor

Types of Escalator
1. Straight Run
Spiral
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unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
2. Spiral

3. Elevator/Lifts

Types of Elevator by Use


1. Passenger Elevator – an elevator exclusively for the use of passengers

2. Freight Elevator – an elevator for carrying heavy cargo on which the operator and
the persons necessary for unloading and loading the freight are permitted to ride

3. Dumbwaiter – a small elevator for conveying food, dishes, or other materials


between the floors of a building

Passenger Elevator Freight Elevator Dumbwaiter

Basic Parts of an Elevator


1. Mechanism
Types of Elevator as to Mechanism
a. Hydraulic Elevator – an elevator system
consisting of a car supported by a piston that
is moved by or moves against a fluid under
pressure
Parts of Hydraulic Elevator
i. Piston

ii. Guide Rail – one of the vertical steel tracks


controlling the travel of an elevator car or
counterweight

b. Electric Elevator/Traction Elevator – an


elevator system of a car that is mounted on
guide rails, supported by hoisting cables, and
driven by electric hoisting machinery.

Parts of a Traction Elevator

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unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
i. Control Panel – a panel containing switches,
buttons, and other equipment for regulating
electrical devices

ii. Hoisting Machinery – the machinery for


raising and lowering an elevator car,
consisting of a motor-generator set, traction
machine, speed governor, brake, drive shaft,
driving sheave, and gears, if used

iii. Hoisting Cable – one of the wire cables or


ropes used for raising and lowering an
elevator car

iv. Guide Rail

v. Traveling Cable – one of the electric cables


connecting an elevator car to a fixed
electrical outlet in the hoistway

vi. Counterweight – a weight balancing another


weight, such as the rectangular cast-iron
blocks mounted in a steel frame to
counterbalance the load placed on the
hoisting machine by an elevator car

vii. Limit Switch – a switch that automatically


cuts off current to an electric motor when an
object moved by it, such as an elevator car,
has passed a given point

viii. Buffer – a piston or spring device for absorbing the impact of a descending
elevator car or counterweight at the extreme lower limit of travel

Types of Traction Elevator


i. Machine Room

ii. Machine Room Less

2. Hoistway/Elevator Shaft – a vertical enclosed space


for the travel of one or more elevators.
Parts of Hoistway
a. Elevator Pit – the portion of a hoistway extending
from the level of the lowest landing to the floor of
the hoistway
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unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
b. Rise – the vertical distance traversed by an elevator
car from the lowest to the highest landings of the
hoistway. Also called travel

c. Top Car Clearance – the vertical distance from the


top of an elevator car to the nearest overhead
obstruction when the car platform is level with the
top landing
d. Machine Room – a room housing the hoisting machinery, control equipment, and
sheaves for raising and lowering an elevator car

e. Hoistway Door – a door between a hoistway and an elevator landing, normally


closed except when an elevator car is stopped at the landing
i. Lantern – a light, usually over the entrance to an elevator on each floor of a
multistory building, that signals the approach of the elevator

ii. Call Button – a push button for requesting an elevator

f. Landing – the portion of a floor adjacent to an elevator hoistway, used for the
receiving and discharge of passengers or freight

3. Elevator Car – the load-carrying unit of


an elevator, consisting of a car frame,
platform, light metal enclosure, and
door or gate
a. Elevator Car Safety – a mechanical
device for slowing down and
stopping an elevator car in the
event of excessive speed or free
fall, actuated by governor and
clamping the guide rails by a
wedging action

b. Car Frame – the structural steel


frame of an elevator car to which
are attached the platform, guide
shoes. Elevator car safety, hoisting
cables, and control equipment

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
BASICS OF ACOUSTICS

Acoustics is the science concerned with the production, control, transmission, reception, and
effects of sound.

Acoustician is a scientist or researcher who studies acoustics.

Types of Acoustic

1. Environmental Noise

This type deals with vibration and noise which the roadways cause. Railways, aircraft
and general activities that are associated with the environment. The chief goal of these is for
reducing vibration and noise that impacts the environment.

2. Musical Acoustics

This one concerns the study of physics of music which is how we use sounds for making
music. Areas of study in this comprise of the human voice, musical instruments, and music
therapy.

3. Ultrasound

These are basically, sounds that have a frequency greater than the human audible limit.
But, there isn’t any difference in physical properties when we compare them to normal sound.
We use it in a lot of fields. Similarly, we use ultrasonic devices to measure distances and detect
objects. Moreover, we use ultrasound imaging in physics.

4. Infrasound

These are the sound which has a frequency of less than 20 Hz. We refer to the study
of these sounds as infrasonic. We use infrasound for detecting petrol formation under the
earth and the likelihood of earthquakes.

5. Vibration and Dynamics

This is the study of how many mechanical systems vibrate and interact with their
environment. We use this for vibration control that assists in protecting a building from
earthquakes and ground vibrations which we use in railways.

DECIBEL (dB).

The decibel (dB) is the unit of measurement that describes the intensity of sound. The human
ear is tremendously sensitive, and the dB scale is designed to measure that sensitivity.

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
PRINCIPLES OF ACOUSTIC

1. Mass Law.

For every doubling of weight of a material, it equates to a 6dB improvement.


Therefore, a 12mm thick glass will give a 6dB improvement in performance,
over a 6mm thick glass.

2. Separating the elements in a façade build up.

The separating of the elements disrupts the pattern of the sound waves as they
pass through the façade and makes it harder for them to reach the inside surface.

3. Glass Specifications

By using laminated glass, especially one with an acoustic interlayer, you can
often achieve the marginal gains that are often required.

4. When using double glazed units on a project, consider using different thicknesses /
compositions of glass for the inner and outer panes, as the different thicknesses will
resonate at different frequencies.

SOUND PERCEPTION

Perception is the ability to interpret information that our different senses receive from
the environment. In fact, this interpretation is an active process that depends on our cognitive
processes and prior knowledge. Auditory perception could be defined as the ability to receive
and interpret information that reached the ears through audible frequency waves transmitted
through the air or other means.

Sound is a rapidly varying pressure wave within a fluid medium such as air or water
that is capable of being detected by the human ear.

Sound Frequency is the number of sound wave crests per unit time that pass a fixed
location, it is a measure of the tone or pitch of a sound (Wujek and Dagostino, 2010). The units
of frequency are called hertz (Hz).

Sound Amplitude is the relative strength of transmitted vibration, which we perceive


as loudness of volume of the sound. It is measured in decibels (dB), which refers to the sound
pressure level or intensity

Threshold of Hearing - the minimum sound pressure difference level at which a person
can hear a specified frequency of sound (Wujek and Dagostino, 2010). Threshold of human
hearing is approximately the quietest sound a young human with undamaged hearing can detect
at 1000 Hz or at 0 dB.

PRINCIPLES OF SOUND
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unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOUND

Sound is transmitted as a wave. This means that sound has the following Physical Properties:

a) Wavelength - The distance between two peaks of the wave

b) Period - Time taken for one oscillation

c) Frequency - The number of the oscillations per second

d) Velocity - The rate at which sound waves travel.

e) Amplitude - Distance between the highest point and the lowest point of the wave.

f) Pitch - Highness or lowness of tone depending on frequency/number of oscillations.

CLASSIFICATION OF SOUND

Sound can be classified into three (3) groups, based on their range of frequencies. The three
classifications are:

Infrasonic Waves are sound waves that have frequencies below 20 Hz . Humans cannot hear
these sound waves, and these

soundwaves are produced by tremors in the ground.

Audible Waves are sound waves having frequencies between 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, and are
the only frequencies that humans

are able to hear.

Ultrasonic Waves are sound waves having frequencies greater than 20,000 Hz. Human
beings cannot hear these frequencies,

however bats and dolphins can hear these, and even produce sounds in this frequency.

BEHAVIOR OF SOUND

The behavior of sound changes depending on the environment, as well as the kind of
medium it is moving through. Sound waves are spherical waves, and always originate from
one point/source.

ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS (STC AND NRC)

SOUND TRANSMISSION CLASS (STC) is measured to calculate the effectiveness of


soundproofing materials in reducing sound transmission between room. STC is decibels
reduction in noise a material/ partition can provide.

The higher the STC rating, the more effective that material is at reducing sound transmission
of the most common frequencies.
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unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
NOISE REDUCTION COEFFICIENT (NRC) is an average rating of how much sound an
acoustic product can absorb. NRC is measured on a scale that ranges from 0 to 1. An NRC of
0 means that the product absorbs no sound, meanwhile an NRC of 1 means that the product
absorbs all sound. The higher the NRC, the better the product is at soaking up the sound.

REVERBERATION

The prolongation of sound as a result of successive reflections in an enclosed space after the
source of sound.
The sound in an enclosed space which results from repeated reflections at the boundaries.

APPLICATIONS OF ACOUSTICS IN BUILDING (EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR)

Room Resonance

An enclosed space with sound reflective interiors surfaces undesirably accentuate


certain frequencies called the normal modes of vibration of the room. Rooms have a large
number of normal modes, depending on their shapes and dimensions. The deleterious effect of
normal modes is particularly noticeable at the lower frequencies where the modes are unequally
distributed.

Sound Attenuation

1. Air Borne Attenuation

Considering a pair of adjacent rooms

The transmission from the source room to the receiver room has to be reduces or
prevented/ the degree to which this is possible depends on the attenuation by the wall, floor, or
ceiling between room. It also depends on the flanking paths that may allow sound to bypass
the principal barrier.

2. Acoustical Shielding

Provided by incomplete barriers - partial height partitions used in open office spaces.

The barrier must extend beyond the line of sight between the source and the receiver.
The sound must not reflect over or around the barrier.

3. Impact Attenuation

Generated by direct physical contact with a surface whose side is exposed to an


adjoining room. Example football.

Attenuation is achieved by avoiding hard surfaces or use of resilient materials.

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.
4. Vibration Isolation

Pertains to mechanical equipment. No pieces of rotating, reciprocating, vibrating


equipment is perfectly balances.

The imbalance causes it and the supporting structure to vibrate. Attenuation is achieved
through use of vibrators- springs and elastomeric mounts or hangers, flexible sleeves and
connections that allow the equipment to float free of the structures.

5. Duct Attenuation

Noises from fans due to turbulence of air stream propagates along ducts and enters room
through air supply ducts and return grilles. Attenuation is achieved by internally lining the
ducts with an absorptive material or use of silencers.

IMPORTANCE OF ACOUSTIC MATERIAL

• Acoustic materials can be used for noise reduction and noise absorption.
• It makes the sound more audible which is clear to listen without any disturbances.
• It suppresses echoes, reverberation, reflection and resonance.

The contents of the following pages are instruments of the profession and under the Intellectual Property Law (R.A. 8293) it shall be
unlawful for anybody to copy and reproduce these notes whether in part or in whole without the written consent of the of the author.

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