SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY DIPLOMA IN BUIDLING YEAR 1 ATGB 1363 BUILDING SCIENCE & SERVICES REPORT

Group : A1 (2) NAME: Anson Ng Xiang Soon Chang Kar Wei Cheah Keat Hong Chai Chun Keat Chin Yung Sin (13WTD04792) (13WTD08170) (13WTD07900) (13WTD 03545) ( )

LECTURER NAME: (PN.IDAURA) SUBMISSION DATE: (Friday, December 6,2013)

Theory: All sound is caused by vibrating air (air-borne sound) or objects (impact / structure-borne sound). If there is no adjacent material, the sound would not transmit. Sound does not transmit in vacuum because there is no material to carry it. The intensity of sound is measured in decibels (dB). The value of intensity decreases as the distance from the source increases. This is because as the distance increase, the sound would spread out more. The intensity of the sound would decreases as the square of the distance, that is,

Learning outcomes:

1. To determine the intensity of sound along the demonstrator when the measuring instrument (sound level meter) is moved away from the speaker. 2. To determine the intensity of sound when it passed through different materials such as plywood, cement board and gypsum board.

Equipments:

Figure 1 Building Demonstrator

Figure 2 Sound Panel (speaker)

Figure 3 Sound level meter

Figure 4 Earplug

Procedures: Experiment A: 1. The demonstrator had been set up by plugging into a 240 V AC single-phase 50 HZ supply. 2. The four nuts at the end of the demonstrator had been unscrewed and the sound panel had been put and tightened. 3. The speaker wire had been connected to a switch that is located above the power point at the side of the control panel. 4. The speaker had been turned ON and the selector had switched to high. The frequency and volume had been turned to the maximum position. 5. The sound intensity reading for the distance 70 cm away from the source had been take and recorded down. The experiment had been continue and taken the result for different distances (140 cm, 210cm) away from the speaker. Experiment B: 1. The procedures for Experiment A from (1) to (4) had been repeated. 2. A piece of plywood had been putted onto the demonstrator at a distance 70 cm away from the sound source. 3. The sound intensity readings had been taken and recorded down immediately before and after the sound travels though the plywood. 4. The experiment had been continue by placing the rack at different distances (140 cm, 210cm)away from the sound source. 5. The experiment had been repeated by using cement board and gypsum board.

Data & Results: Experiment A: Distance ,d(cm) Intensity of Sound, l (dB) 1. 2. 3. 70 140 210 101 95 89 107 97 92 106 98 93 Average 104.67 96.67 91.33

Experiment B: PLWOOD BOARD Distance ,d(cm) Intensity of Sound, l (dB) Reading before Reading before (dB) (dB) 1. 2. 3. 70 140 210 106 101 96 98 84 94 Transmission Sound coefficient Reduction Index T= R=10 (1/T) 0.925 0.339 0.832 0.799 0.979 0.092

Experiment B: CEMENT BOARD Distance ,d(cm) Intensity of Sound, l (dB) Reading before Reading before (dB) (dB) 108 100 90 89 85 89 Transmission coefficient T= 0.824 0.850 0.989 Sound Reduction Index R=10 (1/T) 0.841 0.706 0.048

1. 2. 3.

70 140 210

Experiment B: GYPSUM BOARD Distance ,d(cm) Intensity of Sound, l (dB) Reading before Reading before (dB) (dB) 103 100 98 100 91 93 Transmission coefficient T= 0.971 0.910 0.949 Sound Reduction Index R=10 (1/T) 0.128 0.410 0.227

1. 2. 3.

70 140 210

Exercises: 1. Experiment A: Plot a graph of average intensity of sound, l (vertical axis) against the inverse of distance squared from sound source, 1/ (horizontal axis). 2. Experiment B: For the 3 different building materials, plot a graph of sound reduction index, R (vertical axis) against distance from sound source, d (horizontal axis).

Discussion Question: 1. Sound can either be diffracted, reflected, absorbed or transmitted. Explain the difference between these 4 sounds paths. Diffraction is an effect which occurs at the edges of objects and is one reason why it is possible to hear sounds around corners. Reflection is sound reflected in the same way as light, provided that the reflecting object is larger than the wavelength of the sound concerned. Absorption is the sound reduction in the sound energy reflected from a surface.

2.

What is transmission coefficient, T? What is sound reduction index, R or SRI? How are they related? Transmission coefficient is a transmission coefficient describes the amplitude, intensity, or total power of a transmitted wave relative to an incident wave. Sound Reduction Index (R or SRI) is a measure of the insulation against the direct transmission of airborne sound.

3. Three principles for good sound insulation are heaviness, completeness and isolation. Give ONE (1) example for each of these principles that are applied in building construction. The example for the principles heaviness is Porous. Porous absorbers consist of cellular materials such as fiberglass and mineral wool. The air in the cells provides a viscous resistance to the sound waves which then lose energy as frictional heat. Most effective at frequencies > 1 kHz. The example for the principles completeness is Cavity. They are enclosures of air with one narrow opening, which acts as an absorber when air in the opening is forced to vibrate & the viscous drag of the air removes energy from the sound waves. The maximum absorption occurs at the resonant frequency of cavity. The example for the principle isolation is Panel or membrane. They are constructed from fixed sheets of continuous materials, such as plywood or suspended ceiling , with a space behind them. The panels absorb energy of sound waves by converting them to mechanical vibration in the panel. Most effective at frequencies between 40 to 400 Hz.

4. From the 3 building materials (plywood, cement board and gypsum board), which offers the best sound insulation? Why? Plywood offer the best sound insulation because Cement boards are either composed of a glass mesh reinforced Portland cement core or of a fiber reinforced cement core. Mass is a very important element in soundproofing. Adding mass improves the soundproofing level achieved since it's harder for sound to move a heavier wall. That will still hear the low bass generally.

Conclusion:
Lastly the intensity of the sound would be most effect on the cement board it is because the reading that recorded after was decreasing in difference with the before. When the distance increases, the sound would also be spread out more. The reading recorded of the transmission coefficient has also decreased by the further the distance it is because if the value of the intensity decreases as the distances from the source will also increases. For the sound reduction has increased literally from the outcome of the experiment.

Background Information: CHEAH KEAT HONG (13WTD07900) All sounds are vibrations traveling through the air as sound waves. Sound waves are caused by the vibrations of objects and radiate outward from their source in all directions. A vibrating object compresses the surrounding air molecules (squeezing them closer together) and then rarefies them (pulling them farther apart). Although the fluctuations in air pressure travel outward from the object, the air molecules themselves stay in the same average position. As sound travels, it reflects off objects in its path, creating further disturbances in the surrounding air. When these changes in air pressure vibrate your eardrum, nerve signals are sent to your brain and are interpreted as sound. The simplest kind of sound wave is a sine wave. Pure sine waves rarely exist in the natural world, but they are a useful place to start because all other sounds can be broken down into combinations of sine waves. A sine wave clearly demonstrates the three fundamental characteristics of a sound wave: frequency, amplitude, and phase.

Frequency Frequency is the rate, or number of times per second, that a sound wave cycles from positive to negative to positive again. Frequency is measured in cycles per second, or hertz (Hz). Humans have a range of hearing from 20 Hz (low) to 20,000 Hz (high). Frequencies beyond this range exist, but they are inaudible to humans. Amplitude Amplitude (or intensity) refers to the strength of a sound wave, which the human ear interprets as volume or loudness. People can detect a very wide range of volumes, from the sound of a pin dropping in a quiet room to a loud rock concert. Because the range of human hearing is so large, audio meters use a logarithmic scale (decibels) to make the units of measurement more manageable. Phase Phase compares the timing between two similar sound waves. If two periodic sound waves of the same frequency begin at the same time, the two waves are said to be in phase. Phase is measured in degrees from 0 to 360, where 0 degrees means both sounds are exactly in sync (in phase) and 180 degrees means both sounds are exactly opposite (out of phase). When two sounds that are in phase are added together, the combination makes an even stronger result.

When two sounds that are out of phase are added together, the opposing air pressures cancel each other out, resulting in little or no sound. This is known asphase cancelation. The different materials apply to the wall can result to different characteristics. In the experiment we have used the plywood, cement board and gypsum board which have the different of characteristics. Plywood is many thin sheets of wood glued together. When layers like this are put together it produces a very sturdy and durable wood. It is important the type of glue used to put the layers together, when a professional adhesive is used the plywood becomes resist to cracks, shrinking, twists and warps, making it a better wood than many other plain woods on the market. Plywood has been used in building many homes and commercial constructions and is often used for walls, ceilings and more. There is a number of different plywoods available on the market. All plywood types vary from its usage to its composition. Each type of plywood has its own benefits, purpose and negatives. The characteristics for plywood are high impact resistance, surface dimensional stability, high strength to weight ratio, panel shear, and chemical resistance. While, Cement board is a building material made of a mixture of glass fibers and cement, usually formed into 4 by 8 foot sheets, 1/4 or 1/2 inch thick. It is typically used as a backing for tiled walls and floors, or on the exterior of buildings. If used on building exteriors, cement board may either be stuccoed, or simply painted as the final exterior surface. (Wood solution design and build, 2013) While cement board is rigid and very strong and can be cut to desired sizes, because it is cement-based the cutting tools and saws need to be carbide-tipped. Further, regular wood drills will not work; metal drills will be needed to bore holes. Unlike sheet rock or paperbacked gypsum board, when attached to studs, floors or exterior walls cement board forms a strong, impact-resistant surface, strengthening the structure it is attached to. Common, or regular, cement board is water resistant, though not actually waterproof. It is often used in bathrooms as a backing for sink, tub and shower tiles. This board is constructed of a gypsumbased core with a reinforced cement covering. When installed in wet areas the edges must be sealed to maintain water resistance. Though it may absorb some moisture, if properly sealed, it will not deteriorate when placed in moist areas, nor will it mold. Portland Cement makes a board that is totally waterproof for use in areas of constant contact with water. This product is made of a cement-based core with a glass fiber mat reinforcing the cement on both sides making it totally waterproof. Waterproof Portland board can be used in places where the board is actually and constantly in contact with water. Boat docks and boat houses can be sheathed with waterproof board, and it is an ideal material to use for shower pans. Since the waterproof version is much heavier than common board, it is usually formed in smaller board sizes, typically 30 by 48 or 36 by 60. While cement board has many advantages over sheet rock, one disadvantage is that it is much heavier. Attaching it to walls is at least a two person job. Also, nail or screw holes may need to be drilled before fasteners can be used. It is also more expensive than sheet rock, and in construction where cost is a factor, water resistant gypsum board or sheet rock, though not as ideal, may be used as tile backing rather than cement board. (wizegeek, 2003-2013)

Gypsum board, also known as drywall or wallboard, is a type of sheathing used for interior walls and ceilings. Since the mid-1940s, it has been the primary wall construction in most houses. Vertical wooden pieces frame a room providing support for the sheets of wallboard. These sheets are connected to the framing by either screws or nails, and seamed together using a special drywall compound, which leaves an even and flat surface. The result is a wall that is smooth and easy to finish. The core of the wallboard is the mineral gypsum, or hydrous calcium sulfate. It is the main ingredient in plaster of Paris, as well as a component of cement. Gypsum mines are found across the world and large deposits have been found in the United States. In addition to this natural form, a synthetic form of gypsum is produced as a byproduct of coal-fired power plants. The process of making gypsum board begins with the mineral being ground and combined with starch to help with adhesion. Depending on the type of wallboard being made, other trace ingredients might be added at this point. Just enough water is added to create a slurry of the right consistency. Wet gypsum slurry is then sandwiched between two heavy sheets of paper and kiln dried to make the board rigid. The large sheets of wallboard are then cut into standard sizes. The development of this type of wallboard began as early as 1917, but it did not become popular for residential home use until after World War II. Before that time, wall construction was primarily lath, or wooden horizontal supports, covered in plaster. Plaster walls took a great deal of time to build, and professional application was usually necessary. Construction using gypsum board was much more efficient and did not require the specialized labor that plaster walls sometimes did.(wisegeek, 2003-2013)

References Wood solution design and build. (2013). Retrieved November 28, 2013, from Timber, wood, lumber product & other buildind materials: http://www.woodsolutions.com.au/ TutorVista.com. (2013). Waves, difinision, Type & function. Retrieved November 15, 2013, from http://www.physics.tutorvista.com/: http://physics.tutorvista.com/waves.html wisegeek. (2003-2013). Retrieved November 28, 2013, from http://www.wisegeek.org/: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-gypsum-board.htm wizegeek. (2003-2013). Retrieved November 28, 2013, from http://www.wisegeek.com/: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-cement-board.htm

Background Information: Sound insulation is the reduction of sound energy transmitted into an adjoining air space. Insulation is the principal method of controlling both airborne sound and impact sound in buildings. Sound Reduction Index (R or SRI) is a measure of the insulation against the direct transmission of airborne sound. Sound intensity is a versatile tool to measure the magnitude and direction of the energy in a sound field. The measurement technique is used for a variety of applications such as the determination of sound power, sound absorption and sound transmission. Sound intensity measure of direction as there will be energy flow in some directions but not in others. Usually we measure the intensity in a direction normal (at 90) to a specified unit area through which the sound energy is flowing. The amount of energy that is transported past a given area of the medium per unit of time is known as the intensity of the sound wave. However, sound wave carries its energy through a two-dimensional or threedimensional medium, the intensity of the sound wave decreases with increasing distance from the source.

References
II, S. a. s., 2011. Sound and sensor II. [Online] Available at: http://www.onosokki.co.ip/English/hp e/whats new /SV rpt/SV 4/sv4.htm [Accessed 30 November 2013]. Perception, S. P. a. T., 2013. Sound Properties and Their Perception. [Online] Available at: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/u1112b.cfm [Accessed 30 November 2013].