Full scale model investigation on the acoustical protection of a balcony-like façade device (L).
The acoustical insertion losses produced by a balcony-like structure in front of a window are examined experimentally. The results suggest that the balcony ceiling is the most appropriate location for the installation of artificial sound absorption for the purpose of improving the broadband insertion loss, while the side walls are found to be the second best. Results also indicate that the acoustic modes of the balcony opening and the balcony cavity resonance in a direction normal to the window could have a great impact on the one-third octave band insertion losses. The maximum broadband road traffic noise insertion loss achieved is about 7 dB.
Full-scale tests of reflective noise-reducing devices for balconies on high-rise buildings.
In the present report, the noise-shielding efficiency of balconies with ceiling-mounted reflectors on the façades of high-rise buildings is examined through full-scale field measurements. The reflectors are designed to reflect direct and diffracted waves incident on the balcony ceiling outside the balcony. Field measurements are conducted to investigate the performance of the reflectors on intermediate floors of a high-rise dwelling adjacent to a railway. The reflectors reduce railway noise by approximately 5 dB, in A-weighted sound pressure level, compared to an ordinary balcony. The noise-shielding efficiency of a balcony equipped with reflectors is greater than that of an absorbing balcony.
Reflection of noise from a building's facade
The reflection from the facade of a building is considered in terms of specular reflection and diffuse scattering. Using the concept of the continuous A-weighted sound pressure level, the importance of reflected noise is evaluated by comparing it with the contribution of the direct wave and background noise. The results may be applied directly in the case of buildings flanking one side of a road.