Noise control For Buildings

This articles discusses about the new type of windows being devised to bring sound pollution under control in noisy areas.

To people living and working in big cities and noisy areas, there is some good news around the corner. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability in Darmstadt have devised a window that is capable of completing canceling out all types of noises.

Until now, the methods used were successful in blocking a few types of sound waves while the others were let to pass. Some of those successful blocked were transmitted through the attached materials. So the entire process was ineffective up to this moment. But now the windows that have been devised can not only block the sound waves but also prevent them from transmitting to the adjacent material and into the interior of the building from there.

This method uses piezoelectric crystals to produce opposing vibrations to those produced by the incoming sound waves. Due to this, both vibrations cancel out each other effectively and the sound is prevented from entering the building. Piezoelectric chips are attached to the frame of the building while deflect it slightly when noise waves hit it. So the sound waves cannot be transmitted to other parts of the window any more. These windows are equally effective against both high and low frequencies sound waves.

The research team was lead by Thilo Bein. According to him, the noise is not completely blocked, but the intensity of the noise is reduced to a great extent. He says that this type of windows is perfect for buildings situated close to airports, office building and apartment complexes.