Study On Acoustic Environment Of Dining Space And Its Amelioration

Based on subjective survey and field measurements, an investigation of enclosed acoustic environment was made, while the causes and influencing factors of the noise in the dining space were analyzed. Using Odeon, simulation research was made, and a more effective sound absorption method and the proposed sound absorption was provided.Firstly, from the view of users’subjective evaluation of two typical restaurants, satisfaction of acoustic environment and speech intelligibility were discussed. Through the questionnaire survey that noise is mainly from diners talking at next tables. From the interview to the service personnel and operators to determine the subjective comfort level of the background noise, also as a reference for the simulation results.Secondly, through observation and field measurements in several popular restaurants, the current situation were recorded such as basic scale, dining mode and interior decoration and it was found that:with the increase number of diners, background noise of the restaurants rise rapidly and finally stable at a high level; noise level in area of table with ten diners was significantly higher, usually comes to 75dB (A), and speech interference level in more than 70dB; consider to the privacy among the diners, some restaurants set parapets and partition to prevent diners from being seen or heard by others; according to the field observation most of the restaurants do not take acoustic measures into account, even if some restaurants did, the effect end up with little success; and According to the subjective experience of the field measurement, it is concluded that the background noise level of the dining staff can be accepted by 70dB (A) at most. Therefore, the study of the best sound absorbing arrangement and recommended absorption is very meaningful and has practical significance.Through Odeon, several acoustic measures models were set to simulation, and it was concluded that:sound absorption structure arranged in both the wall and top can effectively reduce background noise; in the case of same sound absorption, centralized arrangement on ceiling is more effective than on walls; at the same time, setting 50% perforated plate acoustical structure in the top, restaurant speech transmission index can reach more than 0.45.At last, an engineering example of dining room acoustic environment improvement was introduced, and the computer simulation result meets the requirements of international standard definition of language.