EXPERIMENT NO.

3
REVERBERATION TIME CALCULATION
I. OBJECTIVES
a) To be able to calculate reverberation time specified for each condition
b) To be able to determine the different factors that could affect the reverberation time
c) To be able to distinguish the use of Sabine Equation and Stephen and Bate Equation.
II. INTRODUCTION

III. FORMULA/COMPUTATION
Room Acoustics is concerned with the behaviour of sound within an enclosed space with a view
to obtaining the optimum effects on the occupants.
Reverberation Time (RT60) is the time required for the mean square sound pressure of a given
frequency in an enclosure, initially in a steady state, to decay after the source stopped to 60 dB or
one-millionth of its initial value.
1. Stephen and Bate Equation
It is used for computing the ideal reverberation time in secon.
RT = r(0.012

3 V + 0.1070)

Where V = volume of the hall in m3

r = 4 for speech, 5 for orchestra, 6 for choir
Optimum volume per persons for various type of halls
Type of Hall
Concert Halls
Opera Houses
Churches
Cinemas
Rooms for Speech

minimum
6.5
4.0
5.7
-

optimum
7.1
4.2 5.1
7.1 9.9
3.1
2.8

maximum
9.9
5.7
11.9
4.2
4.9

Example 1. Approximate the value of reverberation time for a concert hall to be used mainly for
orchestral music and to hold 450 persons. Use optimum volume per person.

2. Sabines Formula
It is the equation governing the decay of uniformly diffuse sound in a live room for an
average absorption less than or equal to 0.2.
RT =

0.161V
A

(metric system in m)

RT=

system in ft)
where V = volume of hall in m3
A = absorption units in m2 (using rooms effective surface area)
A = S
Where = absorption coefficient
S = surface area of the absorber in m2

0.049 V
A

(English

IV. EXPERIMENT PROPER

1. Calculate the reverberation time at 125 Hz, 500 Hz, 2000 Hz for a classroom that is 8m wide
by 12 m long by 3 m high. The floor is vinyl tile on concrete, walls are made of 1/2 drywall
gypsum board and ceiling is acoustic tile suspended in frames.
Find:
a. Volume
b. Area of wall
c. Area of ceiling
Type of

Surface

Area

125

A125

500

A500

2000

material
Wall
Floor
Ceiling
Frequency
Reverberation Time

125 Hz

500 Hz

2000 Hz

Question: Which among the following frequency has the highest reverberation time?
Answer:

2. A hall measuring 30m x 25m x 6m high has the following surface finishes:
Floor: carpet heavy on concrete

A2000

Ceiling: plaster gypsum rough finish

Wall: concrete block painted
3 Doors of 2m x 2m: Wood palquet in asphalt on concrete
10 Windows of 1.5m x 2m : large panes of heavy plate glass
a. Calculate the actual reverberation times at 500 Hz and 2000 Hz if the capacity of the hall is
500 people. Assume that there is an acoustic shadow of 50% of the floor area.
500 Hz
Surface
Wall
Floor
Ceiling
Windows
Doors
audience

Area (m2)

2000 Hz
A

Question: What is the total reverberation time for 500 Hz? For 2000 Hz?
Answer:
b. Calculate the optimum reverberation time if the hall to be used is for speech

c. Calculate the optimum reverberation time if the hall to be used is for orchestra