acoustical glass specs & tech

putting a damper on noise we hear you

It all starts with taking your what if questions and turning them into why not answers. Chances are, weve recommended a solution for a similar job over the past 35 years. And chances are today, we can give you a point of view other fabricators just dont feel comfortable talking about. Trust, confidence, peace of mind its what acoustical experience, a broad selection of glazing options and the technical expertise to fabricate customized solutions can do for you. After all, the last thing we want is for you to have to make design changes that compromise your vision. And your clients Its . simple: when it comes to working with you on acoustical
Glazing Contractor: Harmon Ltd. San Francisco International Airport San Francisco, California Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

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From imaginative aesthetics to strict environmental and energy issues to critical budget requirements, we know how to help you figure out a way to make it all work. Thats what being a leader is all about. Architects, designers, contractors and visionaries throughout the world have come to rely on our proven experience to make Viracon their go to company when it comes to exploring options. And getting answers. The fact is, after 35-plus years, 100,000 buildings and 500,000,000 square feet of glazing installed in some of the worlds most remarkable buildings, you learn a thing or two about whats the best thing to do. Today, we perform more glass fabricating processes at a single site than any other fabricator. Sit down, tell us your thoughts, challenge us. The skys the limit.
Photographer: Richard Barnes

glass ideas, were good listeners. Challenge us, youll see.

viraconsultingt
FIELD SALES REPRESENTATIVES Were here to help with design assistance, budget costing, return on investment costing, spec writing and review as well as act as a liaison between architects and glazing contractors. We also work closely with the glazing contractor to offer assistance with initial costs, final pricing negotiations, product information and job site inspections. Just ask. ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES & CUSTOMER SUPPORT Call on us to help with quoting, product performance data, pricing, project coordination, samples and mockups. All it takes is a phone call.

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Viracon acoustical glass

Acoustical Glass For todays design professional, selecting the right glass for commercial buildings can be a challenge. Many factors must be taken into account, such as meeting the original design concept, as well as solar, optical and acoustical performance requirements. While glass is inherently a poor performer when considering its sound attenuating (sound transmission) characteristics, combinations of various glass types and acoustical window frames can effectively reduce sound transmissions. Sound transmission through building walls and glass is related to the limp/mass law. Simply stated, the heavier, more flexible the material is, the better it will be at reducing sound transmission. Since glass is essentially lightweight and very stiff, it tends to transmit more sound than other building materials. Acoustical Barriers Sound transmission into a building may occur through many sources other than glass or windows. Consequently, another performance aspect to consider is the entire wall or building envelope. While sound may be transmitted through many components of a building wall, this transmitted sound may be absorbed in varying degrees by other components within the wall and by the building itself. When soundwaves strike a wall, a portion of this energy is reflected, transmitted or absorbed by the wall. This distribution of sound energy varies as a function of the wall construction and its components. Porous materials within the wall, such as fiberglass, mineral wool and foam insulation, tend to absorb more of the sound energy. This is the result of the frictional drag of vibrating air molecules as they attempt to pass through the fibers or structure of the insulating materialscommonly referred to as sound damping. Sound damping may occur with the building interior, as well as furniture, wall and floor coverings. Another condition that can occur in building wall construction is sound flanking. Flanking is the transmission of sound from one side of an acoustical barrier to the other through alternative routes other than the acoustical barrier. For example, with an exterior wall there may be a number of alternative flanking paths that affect the performance of a wall. Some of these include water and steam pipes, HVAC ducts, electrical conduits, outlets, plumbing, drains, wall vents and openings (holes or cracks). Glass as a Sound Barrier Glass is inherently a poor performer when considering sound transmission characteristics. Fortunately, the glass used in building construction provides other substantial benefits. As a result, we tend to find ways to optimize the acoustical performance of glass for specific applications. With any material, the sound transmission loss is dependent on its mass, stiffness and damping characteristics. With a single glass ply, the

CONTINUING EDUCATION We also work with professional organizations and firms worldwide to provide AIA registered educational seminars. As a registered provider with the AIA/Continuing Education System (AIA/CES), architects can receive 1.5 continuing learning units (LUs) with AIA/CES, including health, safety and welfare credits. You can schedule a presentation by visiting our web site at www.viracon.com or by calling 800-533-2080.

only effective way to increase its performance is to increase the thickness, because stiffness and damping cannot be changed. The sound transmission loss (STL) for a single glass ply, measured over 18 different frequencies, varies depending on glass thickness. Thicker glass tends to provide greater sound reduction even though it may actually transmit more sound at specific frequencies. The critical frequencies may show improvements to sound transmission loss while the noncritical frequencies actually transmit more sound. This is due to the three distinct regions in which glass reacts to sound: mass controlled, resonance controlled and stiffness controlled. Within the resonance and stiffness regions, greater STL may be achieved by varying the glass thickness in multiple glass ply construction. In the mass region, an increase in weight is required. In addition to the behavior of the glass within these regions, various glass thicknesses and constructions (laminated, insulating or a combination of each) have their own specific critical frequency at which they begin to vibrate. It is at this critical frequency where the greatest amount of sound transmission occurs. By evaluating the STL of various tested products, one can optimize the glass performance by carefully selecting the product that provides the greatest STL at the range of frequencies most critical to the building application. Commercial buildings use a wide variety of glass types, which may enhance solar control and safety performance. Monolithic glass plies will provide the lowest acoustical performance levels. Laminated glass can provide higher acoustical performance levels than monolithic glass due to the sound damping characteristics of the polyvinyl butyral (pvb) interlayer used to permanently bond the glass plies together. And, insulating glass tends to provide the highest STL potential of any glass product due to the versatility of the product and its ability to combine monolithic and laminated glass plies.

standard 1/4" (6 mm) exterior panes. Since the pvb is a thermoplastic, its stiffness and damping ability changes with the temperature. In theory, the laminated pane should be oriented to the interior for cool climates and to the exterior in warm climates. In laboratory conditions, Viracon has seen no significant difference in sound attenuation due to the glazing orientation. Asymmetrical Insulating Units Insulating units constructed with equal panes typically exhibit a resonant frequency during which both panes vibrate together. At this frequency, sound transmission loss is significantly lower. To counteract this, you can use marginally different pane thicknesses. For example, an insulating unit with one 1/4" (6 mm) and one 5/16" (8 mm) pane exhibits a much higher STC rating. Airspaces Generally, larger airspaces demonstrate better sound attenuation, because of the acoustical separation of the glass panes. If you require a hermetically sealed insulating unit, the maximum practical airspace thickness is 3/4" (19 mm). If you require a larger airspace, a double-glazed application must be considered, such as both glass panes glazed in separate rabbets. Since this is not a hermetically sealed unit, this application may exhibit some condensation in cold climates. Gas Filled Insulating Units In theory, a higher density gas in the space between panes should have a positive effect on acoustical performance. Comparison testing of standard symmetrical insulating units indicates that common gases, such as argon or sulfur hexafluoride, had virtually no increased effect on STC ratings. While some improvement was noted at some frequencies, resonance effects actually became more pronounced. Suggested Specifications You can specify Viracon products, using the MASTERSPEC Basic Section Glass and Glazing or the MASTERSPEC Supplemental Section Decorative Glazing software. MASTERSPEC is a comprehensive and unbiased master specification system produced and distributed by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) on a licensed user basis. For further information, call 800-424-5080. In addition, guideline specifications for Section 08810 Glass and additional Viracon product information is available through McGraw-Hills electronic and catalog files of Sweets. Warranty Information Viracons architectural products carry limited warranties. Contact our Inside Sales Department for copies of our product warranties. For more information on acoustical glass or additional literature, call 800-533-2080 (E-mail address: glass@viracon.com). Tabular Data The following tables itemize the results of acoustical testing of various monolithic, laminated, insulating and laminated insulating configurations. Testing was performed on the glass only in standard sizes for comparison purposes. Since glazing systems affect acoustical performance, a test should be performed, especially in critical applications.

GLASS CONSIDERATIONS
Glass Thickness Most glazing systems have practical limits to the thickness and weight of the glass used. This limit is due to the constraints of the window frame design. Glass greater than 1" (25 mm) in thickness may not be practical in standard window framing systems. In some custom window designs, glass thicknesses up to 1-1/4" (31.7 mm) may be more practical. And, some thicker glass products may be accommodated by modifying gasket designs. Unfortunately, within these thickness limits, only so much can be achieved when considering the acoustical performance of the glass. For example, a 1" insulating glass unit may have an ultimate sound transmission classification (STC) rating of approximately 35. Obtaining a higher STC rating may be impossible, even if the glass and air-space thickness is varied, due to the restrictive overall thickness. Higher STC ratings can be achieved within the 1" overall thickness by substituting laminated glass plies for monolithic glass plies. This option has limits even with an overall thickness limit of 1-1/4" (31.7 mm). Simply stated, STC 40 values are very difficult to achieve even with insulating glass products limited to a maximum 1-1/4" (31.7 mm) thickness. Glazing Orientation In the interest of appearance, Viracon recommends orienting the laminate to the interior, offering more glass tint and coating options for

MONOLITHIC GLASS (TABLE 1)

Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Glass Makeup 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 630 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000 STC OITC
estimated

Sound Transmission Loss (dB)

1/8" 1/4" 3/8" 1/2" (3 mm) (6 mm) (10 mm) (12 mm) 19 23 26 26 17 25 27 30 18 25 27 26 21 24 30 30 23 28 32 33 22 26 31 33 24 29 34 34 27 31 35 36 28 33 36 37 30 34 35 35 30 34 33 32 32 35 30 32 34 34 30 36 35 30 35 40 36 27 38 43 33 32 41 46 26 37 46 50 30 31 48 51 30 31 34 36

25 29 32 33

LAMINATED GLASS (TABLE 2)

Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Glass Makeup 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 630 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000 STC OITC
estimated

Sound Transmission Loss (dB)

Glass Ply PVB Glass Ply

S/S 2.5 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/8" 3 mm 3/16" 5 mm 3/16" 5 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm

.030" .76 mm .015" .38 mm .030" .76 mm .045" 1.14 mm .060" 1.52 mm .015" .38 mm .030" .76 mm .030" .76 mm .060" 1.52 mm .015" .38 mm .030" .76 mm .045" 1.14 mm .060" 1.52 mm

S/S 2.5 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/8" 3 mm 3/16" 5 mm 3/16" 5 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm

29 27 25 24 25 27 27 27 27 25 25 26 26 27 31 32 29 31 29 34

29 23 26 27 25 25 27 28 28 25 29 30 29 30 30 31 30 35 30 32

29 27 28 27 26 26 27 26 27 27 28 27 28 30 29 30 28 33 29 30

25 24 27 28 29 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 31 31 31 32 33 32 33

27 27 29 28 28 31 31 31 31 32 33 33 33 31 32 33 34 34 35 34

29 28 29 29 30 31 31 31 31 32 33 33 33 33 33 34 35 36 35 35

29 29 30 30 30 33 33 32 33 34 34 34 35 32 33 34 36 36 37 35

31 31 32 32 32 35 34 34 35 35 36 36 36 33 34 34 38 37 38 37

32 33 34 34 34 35 35 35 36 35 37 37 37 34 35 35 38 36 38 38

34 35 35 35 35 35 36 36 37 35 37 38 38 35 35 36 38 35 38 40

34 35 35 36 35 35 36 36 37 33 37 37 38 35 34 35 36 34 37 40

34 35 36 36 36 33 35 35 37 32 36 36 37 34 32 35 38 39 41 41

34 33 36 37 36 33 34 35 36 35 37 37 38 36 34 37 42 41 44 41

35 31 35 36 36 37 37 36 37 40 41 41 41 40 37 41 46 46 48 40

33 32 35 35 36 41 41 40 41 43 45 45 44 43 40 44 49 48 50 42

36 37 38 38 39 44 45 44 44 46 48 48 47 45 42 47 52 50 53 46

39 41 43 43 43 48 49 48 48 49 51 51 51 47 44 49 55 52 56 49

41 45 46 46 46 51 52 51 51 51 53 54 54 47 47 51 57 56 56 49

35 33 35 35 35 36 36 36 37 36 38 38 39 36 36 37 40 39 41 40

31 30 31 31 31 32 33 33 33 32 34 34 34 33 34 35 36 36 36 37

1/4" .077" Vanceva Storm 1/4" 1.95 mm 6 mm 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm .090" SGP 2.29 mm 1/4" 6 mm

1/4" .100" StormGuard 1/4" 6 mm 6 mm 2.53 mm 3/8" 10 mm 1/2" 12 mm 1/2" 12 mm .030" .76 mm .030" .76 mm .060" 1.52 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm

5/8" HRG-2 (1/4+.050+.080+.050+1/4) 16 mm

*A PVB (polyvinyl butyral) interlayer is used unless otherwise indicated. SGP is DuPonts SentryGlas Plus interlayer. StormGuard is a tradename of Viracon and incorporates Solutias Saflex HP interlayer. HRG-2 is fabricated with 2 plies of .050" polyurethane and .080" polycarbonate. Vanceva and Saflex are registered trademarks of Solutia. SentryGlas is a registered trademark of DuPont.

INSULATING GLASS (TABLE 3)

Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Glass Makeup 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 630 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000 STC OITC
estimated

Sound Transmission Loss (dB)

Glass Ply Air Space Glass Ply

1/8" 3 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm 5/16" 8 mm 5/16" 8 mm 3/8" 10 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm

1/4" 6 mm 3/8" 9 mm 1/2" 13 mm 9/16" 14.5 mm 1/2" 13 mm 1/2" 13 mm 1/2" 13 mm 1/2" 13 mm 1/2" 13 mm 3/4" 19 mm 1" 25 mm

1/8" 3 mm 1/8" 3 mm 1/4" 6 mm 3/16" 5 mm 5/16" 8 mm 3/8" 10 mm 5/16" 8 mm 3/8" 10 mm 3/8" 10 mm 1/4" 6 mm 1/4" 6 mm

26 26 27 32 30 28 26 29 29 27 22

21 23 24 26 24 26 24 26 23 23 19

23 23 29 25 29 32 25 26 23 28 27

23 20 22 20 26 29 31 31 29 21 23

26 23 22 24 29 29 24 30 31 27 31

21 19 25 29 33 31 32 37 34 29 30

19 23 30 33 34 35 32 36 34 34 35

24 27 33 34 36 37 35 37 35 35 35

27 29 35 38 39 38 37 39 36 37 36

30 32 38 41 41 39 39 39 36 41 39

33 35 40 43 41 41 39 40 35 43 41

36 39 42 46 40 43 38 37 35 45 42

40 44 42 46 38 41 36 35 36 44 41

44 47 37 42 37 40 38 39 40 39 36

46 48 37 36 39 41 42 43 43 39 37

39 41 43 43 43 44 44 46 47 46 46

34 36 46 48 46 47 46 48 49 49 51

45 43 49 53 48 49 49 49 48 52 56

28 31 35 37 38 39 37 39 37 38 37

26 26 30 30 33 34 32 34 32 31 30

Data based on testing ~36" x 84" glass to ASTM E413-87 in an acoustical wall. Glass size and glazing system will affect STC rating.

DOUBLE LAMINATED INSULATING GLASS (TABLE 4)

Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Glass Makeup 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 630 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000 STC OITC Sound Transmission Loss (dB)
Glass Ply PVB* Glass Ply Air Space Glass Ply PVB* Glass Ply estimated

1/8" .030" 1/8" 1/2" 1/8" .030" 1/8" 3 mm .76 mm 3 mm 13 mm 3 mm .76 mm 3 mm 5/32" .030" 5/16" 1/2" 5/32" .030" 1/4" 4 mm .76 mm 8 mm 13 mm 4 mm .76 mm 6 mm

26 29

21 24 25 25 26 23

29 30 29 29 35 31

28 35 33 31 35 35

30 35 34 33 35 37

34 37 38 35 40 40

36 39 42 37 41 42

40 39 42 38 42 42

42 40 43 39 42 43

44 40 44 39 43 42

44 40 42 40 44 42

44 39 41 41 44 42

45 44 42 42 45 44

46 48 44 43 47 48

47 52 49 43 50 51

52 56 52 44 56 55

57 59 55 45 54 57

58 61 57 46 45 59

42 42 43 41 44 44

33 35 36 35 37 33

1/4" .030" 1/4" 1/2" 5/32" .060" 5/32" 30 6 mm .76 mm 6 mm 13 mm 4 mm 1.52 mm 4 mm 1/4" .030" 1/4" 1/2" 3/16" .060" 3/16" 32 6 mm .76 mm 6 mm 13 mm 5 mm 1.52 mm 5 mm 1/4" .060" 1/4" 3/4" 1/8" .030" 1/8" 6 mm 1.52 mm 6 mm 19 mm 3 mm .76 mm 3 mm 32

1/4" .060" 1/4" 3/4" 3/16" .030" 3/16" 21 6 mm 1.52 mm 6 mm 19 mm 5 mm .76 mm 5 mm

Data based on testing ~36" x 84" glass to ASTM E413-87 in an acoustical wall. Glass size and glazing system will affect STC rating. *PVB (polyvinyl butyral) interlayer

INSULATING LAMINATED GLASS (TABLE 5)

Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Glass Makeup 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 630 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000 STC OITC Sound Transmission Loss (dB)
Glass Ply Air Space Glass Ply PVB* Glass Ply estimated

3/16" 5 mm

3/8" 9 mm

1/8" .030" 1/8" 3 mm .76 mm 3 mm

27 26 28 24 28 32 31 30 31 29 29 29 28 33 29 28 27 28 28 25 24 24

27 23 20 23 17 27 25 29 29 24 25 24 23 27 24 28 27 26 29 31 24 30

26 25 29 28 28 29 30 31 32 30 30 32 30 33 30 34 29 32 36 38 31 33

24 23 24 26 29 28 27 28 30 29 27 27 28 29 29 36 29 30 32 33 28 35

22 27 26 28 33 31 29 31 32 32 31 32 32 32 32 33 30 35 34 37 33 40

28 31 30 33 34 35 34 34 35 37 34 34 35 36 37 40 35 37 39 39 36 41

32 34 34 36 38 37 36 37 38 40 35 35 36 39 40 41 39 40 41 42 37 44

35 36 36 37 40 39 37 39 40 40 34 34 36 40 40 42 40 41 41 43 39 45

38 38 39 39 40 41 39 41 40 41 36 36 37 42 41 43 41 43 41 43 39 45

38 39 42 42 41 42 40 42 42 42 38 38 39 44 42 43 42 44 43 42 40 44

39 41 43 44 41 43 42 44 44 44 40 40 41 46 44 42 43 45 44 40 41 44

40 43 44 46 41 44 43 46 46 45 41 40 43 47 45 40 46 47 45 40 41 44

42 45 44 46 41 43 42 45 47 44 42 41 43 47 44 40 50 47 45 41 41 43

43 46 41 43 40 42 41 44 46 45 43 41 43 46 45 43 52 44 46 56 42 46

41 43 40 44 43 45 44 47 47 48 44 42 45 47 48 49 50 47 47 50 43 50

45 49 47 50 49 50 47 52 52 53 47 46 48 51 53 53 53 53 52 55 47 54

52 55 52 53 54 53 51 55 56 57 50 48 50 54 57 57 57 57 56 58 49 57

57 55 56 55 58 54 51 60 61 59 49 49 49 57 59 61 59 60 61 61 47 58

37 39 39 41 40 41 40 42 43 42 39 39 40 43 42 43 43 44 44 43 40 46

31 31 31 32 30 35 33 36 36 34 34 34 34 36 35 37 35 36 37 37 34 36

3/16" 1/2" 1/8" .030" 1/8" 5 mm 13 mm 3 mm .76 mm 3 mm 1/4" 1/2" 1/8" .030" 1/8" 6 mm 13 mm 3 mm .76 mm 3 mm 1/4" 1/2" 1/8" .060" 1/8" 6 mm 13 mm 3 mm 1.52 mm 3 mm 1/4" 1/2" 1/4" .030" 1/8" 6 mm 13 mm 6 mm .76 mm 3 mm 1/4" 1/2" 3/16" .030" 3/16" 6 mm 13 mm 5 mm .76 mm 5 mm 1/4" 7/16" 3/16" .030" 3/16" 6 mm 11 mm 5 mm .76 mm 5 mm 1/4" 1/2" 3/16" .060" 3/16" 6 mm 13 mm 5 mm 1.52 mm 5 mm 1/4" 1/2" 1/4" .030" 1/4" 6 mm 13 mm 6 mm .76 mm 6 mm 1/4" 1/2" 1/4" .060" 1/4" 6 mm 13 mm 6 mm 1.52 mm 6 mm 1/4" 1/2" 6 mm 13 mm 1/4" 1/2" 6 mm 13 mm 1/4" 1/2" 6 mm 13 mm 1/4" 1/2" 6 mm 13 mm 9/16" Vanceva Storm 14 mm 9/16" SGP 14 mm 9/16" StormGuard 14 mm 5/8" HRG-2 16 mm

1/4" 5/8" 3/16" .060" 3/16" 6 mm 16 mm 5 mm 1.52 mm 5 mm 5/16" 5/8" 3/16" .060" 3/16" 8 mm 16 mm 5 mm 1.52 mm 5 mm 3/16" 11/16" 3/8" .030" 3/16" 5 mm 17 mm 10 mm .76 mm 5 mm 1/4" 3/4" 3/16" .060" 3/16" 6 mm 19 mm 5 mm 1.52 mm 5 mm 1/4" 3/4" 1/4" .060" 1/4" 6 mm 19 mm 6 mm 1.52 mm 6 mm 3/8" 3/4" 1/4" .060" 1/4" 10 mm 19 mm 6 mm 1.52 mm 6 mm 1" 1/4" 3/16" .030" 3/16" 6 mm 25 mm 5 mm .76 mm 5 mm 1" 3/8" 1/4" .060" 1/4" 10 mm 25 mm 6 mm 1.52 mm 6 mm

*Data based on testing ~36" x 84" glass to ASTM E413-87 in an acoustical wall. Glass size and glazing system will affect STC rating. *A PVB (polyvinyl butyral) interlayer is used unless otherwise indicated. SGP is DuPonts SentryGlas Plus interlayer. StormGuard is a tradename of Viracon and incorporates Solutias Saflex HP interlayer. HRG-2 is fabricated with 2 plies of .050" polyurethane and .080" polycarbonate. Vanceva and Saflex are registered trademarks of Solutia. SentryGlas is a registered trademark of DuPont.

DOUBLE-GLAZED APPLICATIONS (TABLE 6)

Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Glass Makeup
Glass Ply Glass Ply Air Space Glass Ply

100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 630 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000 STC OITC estimated Sound Transmission Loss (dB)
PVB Glass

PVB

1/8 .030 1/8 3 mm .76 mm 3 mm 1/4 .030 1/4 6 mm .76 mm 6 mm 1/8 .030 1/8 3 mm .76 mm 3 mm 1/4 .030 1/4 6 mm .76 mm 6 mm 1/4 .030 1/4 6 mm .76 mm 6 mm 1/8 .030 1/8 3 mm .76 mm 3 mm 1/4 .030 1/4 6 mm .76 mm 6 mm 1/4 .030 1/4 6 mm .76 mm 6 mm 1/4 .030 1/4 6 mm .76 mm 6 mm 1/2 .060 1/4 13 mm 1.52 mm 6 mm 1/4 .060 1/4 6 mm 1.52 mm 6 mm 1/2 .060 1/4 13 mm 1.52 mm 6 mm

1 3/1 6 25 mm 5 mm 1 1/8 25 mm 3 mm 2 3/1 6 50 mm 5 mm 2 3/1 6 50 mm 5 mm 2 3/8 50 mm 9 mm 4 3/1 6 100 mm 5 mm 4 3/1 6 100 mm 5 mm 4 1/8 100 mm 3 mm 4 3/8 100 mm 9 mm 4 1/8 100 mm 3 mm 4 1/4 100 mm 6 mm 4 1/4 100 mm 6 mm

22 .030 1/8 .76 mm 3 mm 21 24 27 34 26 30 .030 1/8 .76 mm 3 mm 34 38 29 .030 .76 mm .030 .76 mm 1/4 6 mm 1/4 6 mm 31 31

27 28 25 36 37 36 37 38 38 33 39 42

27 33 34 33 33 34 33 34 33 31 35 33

28 37 33 33 38 37 38 40 40 36 39 40

31 38 34 35 40 37 37 41 40 38 41 42

35 42 40 39 42 43 42 45 43 43 43 43

38 43 41 41 44 44 45 47 46 44 46 46

41 45 44 45 48 48 49 51 51 46 51 50

42 44 44 45 47 49 50 52 52 47 52 50

43 44 46 46 46 51 51 53 52 49 52 50

44 44 47 46 45 51 50 53 50 50 49 49

45 45 47 46 52 50 48 51 45 52 48 50

47 49 48 49 56 51 50 52 48 52 50 52

47 53 48 51 51 50 53 55 53 55 54 55

45 57 46 52 55 47 53 58 56 59 59 60

50 59 50 56 59 51 57 60 59 59 61 62

58 62 55 60 61 58 61 62 62 58 63 64

61 63 56 62 62 60 64 64 64 60 64 64

42 46 45 46 46 48 49 51 49 49 50 50

33 35 35 39 42 39 41 44 44 40 43 43

1. Table 6 is provided for information only and refers to field-glazed applications. Viracon supplies only the glass components. Data based on testing ~36" x 84" glass to ASTM E413-87 in an acoustical wall. Glass size and glazing system will affect STC rating. *PVB (polyvinyl butyral) interlayer.

TRIPLE / CUSTOM INSULATING GLASS (TABLE 7)

Frequency in Hertz (Hz) Glass Makeup 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 650 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000 STC OITC Sound Transmission Loss (dB)
Glass Ply Air Space Glass Ply Air Space Glass Ply estimated

1/4" 1/2" 1/4" 1/2" 6 mm 13 mm 6 mm 13 mm

1/4" 6 mm

25

22 27

29 33

24 31

25 33

29 38

34 39

37 41

40 41

43 43

46 44

48 44

47 44

41 45

41 46

47 50

52 52

58 51

39 43

31 35

1/4" 1/2" 1/4" 1/2" 3/16" .030" 3/16" 26 6 mm 13 mm 6 mm 13 mm 5 mm 1.52 mm 5 mm

Data based on testing of ~36" x 84" glass to ASTM E413-87 in an acoustical wall. Glass size and glazing system will affect STC rating. The .030" component is a PVB (polyvinyl butyral) interlayer.

terms and definitions

Sound Sound is produced when an object vibrates. Trains, planes, automobiles and other tools of modern society produce sounds that can be undesirable in our work and home environments. The human ear can perceive sound as either pleasurable or annoying, depending on the circumstances surrounding the event. While the roar of a jet engine may seem acceptable as you travel to a vacation destination, it may be an extreme annoyance to office workers located close to the airport. Consequently, glass selection for commercial building applications becomes very important. Understanding the relationship of sound and glass allows us to maximize the acoustical performance of glass in building constructions. Sound that comes from one particular source may be a combination of sound transmitted at various frequencies. Therefore, it is imperative to select a certain glass type that is capable of reducing sound over a range of different frequencies. For example, a jet engine may produce sound at very low frequencies as it starts up, but as it attains greater power it produces sound at higher frequencies. The glass selection to reduce sound transmission will need to have a broader range of sound reduction potential. Figure 1 below illustrates the distribution of typical sounds and their peak frequencies. Since sound is produced by an object when it vibrates, the movement of jet engine parts causes the jet to vibrate. The engine vibration creates a disturbance in the air, which spreads out in all directions much like ripples from a rock dropped in still water. When air particles are disturbed by a vibrating source, the layer of air nearest the source follows the back and forth motion of the source. It then causes an air pressure disturbance. The initial disturbance gradually spreads out to air particles further away and at a certain speed, which is known as the speed of sound. The speed of sound varies slightly with the temperature and humidity, but is independent of frequency. The chain reaction of air pressure disturbance, which is a sequence of air pressure changes (compression and rarefraction) is called a sound wave. The number of air pressure changes spreading out from the vibrating source is measured in cycles per second (cps). For example, 500 ripples of air pressure from the vibration is actually 500 cps, which is the sound frequency. The basic unit of frequency is Hertz (Hz). Sound Intensity Sound intensity is the amount of acoustical energy in a sound wave and is proportional to sound pressure. The most common measure of sound pressure is sound pressure level (SPL), which is expressed in decibels, using a compressed or logarithmic scale. The human ear is capable of detecting very faint and loud sounds. Differences between sounds can be dramatic and are described as intensity. The differences in intensity between faint sounds and loud sounds is similar to the difference in weight of a paper airplane and a 747 jet. The ear is not equally sensitive at all frequencies. For example, the sound pressure level of two different noises may be the same. One noise may be perceived as being louder if the sound power is concentrated in a single frequency or a range of frequencies where the ear is more sensitive. The second noise may have a single frequency or a range of frequencies where the ear is less sensitive. The sensitivity of hearing is generally limited to a range of 10 Hz to 20,000 Hz; however, the human ear is most sensitive to sound within a range of 500 Hz to 8,000 Hz. Beyond this range, our hearing capability gradually becomes less sensitive. To accommodate for this sensitivity, sound level meters incorporate a filtering device. The filtering is designed to correspond to the varying sensitivity of the human ear to sounds within the audible range of frequencies. This is referred to as A-weighting. Sound pressure levels, using the A-weighted meter scale, are identified as dBA. Sound Pressure Levels Figure 2 illustrates the correlation between sound intensity or pressure (cps) and sound pressure level. The sound pressure level is an easy way of classifying sound intensity. Sound pressure levels are listed in decibels (dB). Notice that a sound pressure level of 0 dB does not mean there is no sound (see Figure 2). Instead, it means that there is no sound detectable by a person with normal hearing. Whenever the sound pressure level increases 10 dB, the sound intensity increases by a factor of ten.
50 100 200 500 1000 2000 5000 10000

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF TYPICAL SOUNDS

Bass Drum Middle C Ringing Telephone Television Male Voice Female Voice Speech Intelligibility

SOURCE

Speech Privacy Truck Auto Horn Freight Train Jet Aircraft Propeller Aircraft Electric Motor Punch Press

FREQUENCY IN CYCLES PER SECOND

Figure 1

Under typical conditions, an individual with normal hearing cannot detect a change in sound pressure of 1-2 dB. A difference in sound

10

pressure of 3 dB is barely perceptible if the change is sustained and no time lapse occurs. A change of 5 dB is clearly detected and a change of 10 dB is perceived as twice or half the noise level.

STC RATING
Sound Transmission Class Rating When glass is used on the building interior, the sound transmission classification (STC) value can be used to categorize the glass performance. The STC rating is a single-number rating system for interior building partitions and viewing windows. The STC rating is derived by testing in accordance with ASTM E90, Laboratory Measurement of Airborne Sound Transmission of Building Partitions. The STC value is achieved by applying the Transmission Loss (TL) values to the STC reference contour of ASTM E413, Determination of Sound Transmission Class The STC rating is a basis . for glass selection. Its original intent was to quantify interior building partitions, not exterior wall components. As a result, it is not recommended for glass selection of exterior wall applications, since the single-number rating was achieved under a specific set of laboratory conditions. Laboratory measurements of sound transmission loss and subsequent STC ratings are dependent on a number of factors present at the time of testing. The laboratory test is an ideal test condition used to minimize extraneous factors from the test results. Cautious consideration must be given to the laboratory test results versus actual job conditions. The test frame aperture size available at most testing laboratories may also be limited and standardized to facilitate the installation of popular products. As a result, the standardized aperture size may be inappropriate for all products tested nor representative of actual building conditions. It is not recommended to estimate STC ratings based on the performance of tested products in comparison to new configurations. This is because of the critical relationship of glass construction and its reaction to sound at various frequencies. Minor changes to the glass construction and air-space thickness may increase sound transmission loss at some frequencies and decrease it in others. Depending on where the critical frequencies exist for a particular construction, the STC rating could actually be lower even though the glass construction was thought to have been improved with minor modifications.

COMPARISON OF SOUND INTENSITY AND SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL Sound Intensity or Pressure
1,000,000,000,000 100,000,000,000 10,000,000,000 1,000,000,000 100,000,000 10,000,000 1,000,000 100,000 10,000 1,000 100 10 1

Sound Pressure Level in dB

120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Figure 2

Typical Sounds
Thunder Clap Nearby Riveter Boiler Factory/Subway Loud Street Noise/Noisy Factory Noisy Office Average Street Noise Average Radio/Average Office Average Conversation Quiet Radio/Private Office Average Auditorium Quiet Conversation/Whisper Soundproof Room Threshold of Audibility

Sound Transmission Loss To determine the acoustical performance of glass, it is important to consider the application in which it will be used, as well as the framing system that supports the glass. For each sound frequency, the reduction in sound produced by a sound barrier is called the sound transmission loss (STL) at that frequency. When glass is used on an exterior wall, its STL at various frequencies is used to determine the effectiveness of the glazing. Viracon has tested various glass configurations to determine the sound transmission loss over a range of 100 Hz to 5,000 Hz. These tests help designers evaluate and select the best glass to provide greater sound transmission loss at those frequencies where the greatest amount of noise potential exists. As indicated earlier, the selection of window framing systems is important when reducing sound transmission. Window framing systems are evaluated for thermal characteristics, as well as air and water infiltration. Certain window framing systems may perform better acoustically than others as a design function. One important attribute to consider is the air tightness of the system. Window framing systems that allow greater amounts of air infiltration also allow greater sound transmission. Dry glazed window systems, which use rubber gaskets as weather seals, may not be as effective at reducing sound transmission as systems that use wet seals (gunable sealants). The combination of wet seals with butyl or open cell foam dramatically reduces the potential for air infiltration; thus, flanking sound transmission. In addition, sound pressure impinging on the window framing will cause it to vibrate, transmitting sound to the building interior. Consequently, the window glass performance cannot solely be relied upon to reduce sound transmission to the building interior. The sound transmission of the window framing will result in higher levels of sound transmission through the glass and wall.

OITC RATING
Outside-Inside Transmission Class Rating This rating is used to classify the performance of glazing in exterior applications. This is based on ASTM E-1332 Standard Classification for the Determination of Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class. While STC rating is based on a White noise spectrum, this standard utilizes a source noise spectrum that combines Aircraft/Rail/Truck traffic and is weighted more to lower frequencies.

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800 Park Drive, Owatonna, MN 55060 507.451.9555 800.533.2080 (Toll Free) 507.444.3555 FAX (Within U.S.A.) 507.451.2178 FAX (Outside U.S.A.) E-Mail: glass@viracon.com Internet address: http://www.viracon.com

This publication describes Viracons architectural acoustical glass products to help you analyze possible design options and applications. To obtain warranty information, contact Viracons Architectural Inside Sales or Technical Services Department. The information contained in this publication is presented in good faith. It is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. Viracon reserves the right to change product specifications without notice and without incurring obligation.
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MASTERSPEC is a registered trademark of the American Institute of Architects. 2009 Viracon. All rights reserved. VSG-006I VRJC0209

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