UT Dallas Lab

The Issue

The University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson, Texas contacted Acoustical Solutions about some noise transmission issues they were experiencing between two lab rooms. Noise from the test lab was bleeding into the adjacent engineering and computer study lab via their shared common wall. This was causing disruption to the activities taking place in the computer study lab.

The Challenge

The test lab has several loud machines. This made it very difficult for the students to concentrate on their work. Since both rooms were already set up and in use, facilities management needed a simple solution. They needed a solution that didn’t require reconstruction of the wall and could be installed in a relatively short time. The materials needed to be tough and rugged to block the sound. The materials also needed to fit in aesthetically with the room’s decor.

The Solution

The noisy machinery in the test lab just happened to be in a closet we could line with the PrivacyShield^® Absorptive Soundproofing Blanket. These blankets combine the absorption of quilted fiberglass with a layer of mass loaded vinyl sound barrier. The Velcro on the vertical seams of the blanket overlaps to provide a tight sound seal. Using the PrivacyShield^® Absorptive Soundproofing Blankets reduce the amount of ambient sound in the room as well as blocks its transmission.

Since the study lab is more like a classroom, it required a material less industrial looking than the blankets. The AlphsSorb^® Fabric Wrapped Acoustic Panels in Guilford of Maine Studio 54 Fabric were chosen for their look and manufactured with a barrier layer suspended between two layers of acoustical fiberglass. This composite panel not only improves the acoustics in the room but also blocks sound transmission. Additionally, the Studio 54 Acoustic Panels’ fabric facing provides a cleanable surface.

To keep sound from passing over the partition wall through the ceiling grid, AudioSeal^® Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) Soundproofing Barrier was installed over the drop tile ceiling in the test lab.  This adds mass to the ceiling grid to prevent sound from flanking over the wall through the ceiling grid.

UT Dallas Lab utilizing the sound absorbing AlphaSorb® Studio 54 acoustical panels for the lab room.

The Result

The Faculty has been very pleased with the results. By using a PrivacyShield^® Absorptive Soundproofing Blanket in the lab closet, the noise level of the machinery has been reduced. The Studio 54 Acoustic Panels not only improved the room acoustics and communication in the study lab but prevented the sound from the test lab from disrupting the classroom.

In many applications, a two-step approach may be required to eliminate sound and also improve the sound within the room. The research test lab benefited by eliminating noises from the equipment closet. This significantly reduced the echo to make communication, research, and studying much easier for the staff and students.