Experimental Analysis of Sound Propagation and Room Acoustics in Airport Terminal Piers

With the rapid expansion of the aviation industry, pier-style departure lounges have become increasingly prevalent in modern airport terminals. Unlike traditional long enclosures—such as corridors, tunnels, and subway stations—airport terminal piers feature unique geometries, volumes, and interior finishes which complicate sound propagation. To address the paucity of objective acoustic data in these expansive environments, this study performed in situ measurements of impulse responses and sound pressure levels in two piers with distinct shapes and volumes within the same terminal. Key acoustic parameters, including the A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level (LAeq), early decay time (EDT), reverberation time (T30), definition (D50), and speech transmission index (STI), were analyzed. The results reveal that EDT and T30 increase significantly with distance from the sound source, while D50 and STI decrease correspondingly. Specifically, compared to Pier B, which has a smaller cross-sectional area and a single-sided layout, Pier A, characterized by a larger cross-sectional area and a double-sided layout, exhibits a faster sound attenuation when the receiver is positioned closer to the source and a longer reverberation time when the receiver is farther from the source. Notably, STI does not differ significantly between the two piers. These findings enhance the understanding of acoustic behavior in large-span, elongated airport piers and provide valuable guidance for optimizing the acoustic environment of departure lounges to improve passenger comfort.