Canteens usually have critical acoustic conditions resulting from the need to maximize the number of occupants while minimizing volume. Thus, in the absence of specific sound absorbing treatments, very high sound pressure levels are usually observed resulting in significant impairment of communication (with increased vocal effort of speakers and reduced speech intelligibility), and dangerously high exposure levels for workers. The present paper reports acoustic measurements carried out in a nursery school canteen having a volume of 212 m(3) and seating about 50 children, and two primary school canteens having volumes of 656 m(3) (seating 150 children) and 367 m(3) (seating 107 children). Reverberation time was measured in each room as well as sound pressure levels during peak occupation (averaged over 15-minute intervals), resulting in A-weighted sound pressure levels spanning between 81 dB (in the nursery school) and 90 dB in the primary schools. Starting from the observed values, considerations about the group-size of the occupants as a function of age were made, and recommendations were finally given to guide the acoustic correction of similar spaces.
Acoustic comfort in primary- and nursery-school canteens: From measurements to recommendations / Martellotta, Francesco; D'Orazio, Dario; De Carolis, Deborah; Liuzzi, Stefania; Rubino, Chiara. - In: APPLIED ACOUSTICS. - ISSN 0003-682X. - 228:(2025). [10.1016/j.apacoust.2024.110324]
Acoustic comfort in primary- and nursery-school canteens: From measurements to recommendations
Martellotta, Francesco
;D'Orazio, Dario;Liuzzi, Stefania;Rubino, Chiara
2025-01-01
Abstract
Canteens usually have critical acoustic conditions resulting from the need to maximize the number of occupants while minimizing volume. Thus, in the absence of specific sound absorbing treatments, very high sound pressure levels are usually observed resulting in significant impairment of communication (with increased vocal effort of speakers and reduced speech intelligibility), and dangerously high exposure levels for workers. The present paper reports acoustic measurements carried out in a nursery school canteen having a volume of 212 m(3) and seating about 50 children, and two primary school canteens having volumes of 656 m(3) (seating 150 children) and 367 m(3) (seating 107 children). Reverberation time was measured in each room as well as sound pressure levels during peak occupation (averaged over 15-minute intervals), resulting in A-weighted sound pressure levels spanning between 81 dB (in the nursery school) and 90 dB in the primary schools. Starting from the observed values, considerations about the group-size of the occupants as a function of age were made, and recommendations were finally given to guide the acoustic correction of similar spaces.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.