The Sound of Silence
Syntherm FR Sound Control - Case Study
Description
During the “The Sound of Silence” seminar, the sound-absorbing corridor created by Manifattura Maiano was inaugurated. The corridor is made of hypoallergenic, Oeko-Tex-certified, non-toxic polyester panels, already in use in many Italian schools with excellent results.
The corridor offers a solution to alleviate learning difficulties at school, sometimes also due to acoustic problems in the classrooms.
Location
Palazzo San Clemente of the University of Florence
Year
September 2019
Intervention by
University of Florence
Technical Data
The corridor structure was constructed using a dry construction system using steel guides and uprights that support single standard plasterboard panels on the outside (density 700 kg/m3; thickness 1.25 cm). Inside the corridor, 60 x 120 cm sound-absorbing panels from the Sintherm FR Sound Control range by Manifattura Maiano S.p.A. (www.maiano.it) (density: 40 kg/m3; thickness 5 cm) made of recycled polyester fiber from plastic bottles (PET) were installed on the walls and ceiling. These panels are made from carded and thermally bonded fibers without chemical additives, classified as non-hazardous waste and, if not contaminated by other materials, can be fully recovered for recycling and reuse. The panels also comply with the requirements for compliance with the Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM) set forth in the Ministerial Decree of 11 October 2017 for materials used in construction. From an eco-toxicological point of view, the healthiness of the material is guaranteed by the Oeko-tex certification which ensures the absence of hazardous substances in textile products that come into contact with the skin.
Sound absorption coefficient values assigned to the various surfaces to simulate the acoustic response within the corridor. The sound insulation of the corridor walls was considered sufficiently high (40 dB) at all frequencies to exclude transmission through the walls and evaluate only the diffracted contribution from the tunnel openings.
Estimated average reverberation time inside the sound-absorbing corridor.
