The Role of Static Pressure and Temperature in Building Acoustics

The influence of static pressure and temperature on sound reduction indices, impact sound pressure levels, improvements of impact sound pressure levels and sound reduction indices, and relative installation noise levels is investigated. Theory revealed a systematic influence on sound reduction index and normalized impact sound pressure level. Firstly, the sound power radiated by a vibrating structure is directly proportional to the sound impedance in air and therefore to static pressure and temperature to the power of −0.5. Secondly, the sound pressure produced in a room by a sound source also depends on sound impedance, i.e. on static pressure and temperature. Since the excitation of a test specimen is not influenced by static pressure or temperature, the two effects are not compensated by any other mechanism, thus temperature and static pressure also influence sound reduction index and normalized impact sound pressure level. Experimental verification involved measurement of sound reduction index in a small test suite at static pressures between 307 and 970 hPa. Measurement results for single-shell structures showed the expected behaviour, whereas results for double-shell structures revealed a considerable scatter with a tendency towards even larger temperature and static pressure influences. For comparison of the acoustic properties of building elements, it is therefore advisable to introduce a normalized sound reduction index and a normalized impact sound pressure level, with both referred to reference conditions of static pressure and temperature. Improvements in impact sound pressure levels and sound reduction index, and relative installation noise levels are determined from changes in sound level differences. Since each difference is influenced in the same manner by meteorological conditions, the resulting improvement is independent of static pressure and temperature, as long as the differences were determined under the same meteorological conditions.