Evaluating and Optimizing Acoustical Reverberation Time and Material Cost for Classrooms Using Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Generative Design (GD) Tools
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Abstract
Reverberation time (RT) measures how long sound takes to decay in a space, affecting speech intelligibility and sound quality. Calculating RT using Sabine’s formula is time-consuming and error-prone due to manual extraction of room volume and material surface areas. Balancing RT and cost further complicates material selection. This paper automates RT calculation and optimization using Building Information Modeling (BIM) and generative design (GD). Sound absorption coefficients are input into a BIM model’s material properties, and visual programming (VP) extracts room geometries, materials, and absorption coefficients to compute RT and material costs. A multi-objective optimization algorithm in Autodesk GD identifies the best material and room height combination for cost-effective RT. A classroom case study validates the method. This approach enables fast RT calculation and helps designers select cost-efficient materials with optimal RT, aiding acoustic analysis in concert halls, auditoriums, and classrooms while supporting targeted acoustic design.
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References
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