Characterization of Noise Sources, Built Material and Acoustic Parameters of a Newly Renovated Special Purpose Space

The study of acoustical characteristics is important to understand sound propagation, absorption, build up and aural comfort in closed and open spaces. This article presents experimental investigation and analyses of the acoustical characteristics of a renovated room in the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). To design a space (room, hall, lab, etc.), the acoustic parameters such as Early Decay Time (EDT), Reverberation time (RT), Noise criterion and other parameters need to be determined. Absorption is also an important parameter to determine the acoustics of a space. The absorption coefficient of built material and objects in the room was measured using a new in situ method (sec 0). The presence of occupants and various objects inside a space can change the overall absorption performance of that space. These parameters help acousticians to correctly design and maintain the venues according to the need. The results of experimental data collected using microphones were found to be in accordance with values set by various standards. The room was found to be suitable to be used as a lecture room and laboratory, while it was unsuitable for musical purposes. These aspects should be considered before designing the space, and knowledge of the absorption coefficient of any object should be utilized for enhancing the acoustics of a space in the early designing and interior designing phases.