Olive Tree Lab Suite

An integrated acoustics software for indoors and outdoors

What is Olive Tree Lab Suite?

OTL Suite is a suite of 3D acoustical software applications integrated in one working environment. It's the first ever acoustical software application which offers such flexibility among calculations in various fields of acoustics, including non-homogeneous meteorological conditions, within the same environment.

These applications are: Room Acoustics, Open Plan Office, Outdoor Sound Propagation, Multilayered Structure Builder, and Sound Distribution and Scattering Polar Plotter. 
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​Think of OTL-Suite as the equivalent of MS Office in Acoustics - many applications talking to each other seamlessly and no more transferring incompatible data from one application to another. ​

Why Olive Tree Lab?

Because:

• After years of using third party software and mismatch between measured data and predictions, we have developed a software where practice matches theory .
• It's developed from an acoustical engineer’s point of view.
  
• Although standards are needed, there are advanced acoustical methods beyond standards, which we additionally apply. 
• We believe in accuracy and not estimation for both the designer and the client.
• We know how difficult it is to switch between applications, now all your acoustic needs are in one software.
• You don't have to set up another project in another software.
• We believe working with a software should be fun and not tedious.
• We believe our products are revolutionary.

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Key Features

• 3D Acoustical software applications in one integrated working environment.
• The first ever wave based geometrical acoustics software application.
• Spherical sound pressure (not energy) wave propagation over impedance surfaces. Also allows for plane wave propagation and absorption coefficients.
• Atmospheric Refraction and Turbulence due to non-homogeneous atmosphere.
• The first 3D acoustical software application to include a Multilayered Structure Builder based on the Transfer Matrix Method. Calculates surface impedance, sound absorption coefficients and sound transmission losses of 3D model entities.
  
• Sound Distribution and Scattering Polar Plotter.
• Room Acoustics
• Open Plan Office
• Outdoor Sound Propagation
• Source Directivity, OTL can now also import CLF files that represent the directivity of the sources.
• Head Related Transfer Function.  This response characterizes how the human ear receives sound in 3D space.
• Unique Visualization Features.

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Working Environment

• Integration
• Problem solving approach
  
• Intuitive
• Ease of use
• Working efficiency
• Easy learning curve
• Portability

Calculations

• Accuracy
  
• Speed
• Multiple projects results intercomparison
• Export of all results for post processing by 3rd party software
• Precise and Indicative calculation approach
• Scientifically validated results

Visualisation

• 3D Modelling in 4 display modes
  
• Sound ray visualisation
• 3D & 2D Mapping
• Camera function
• Polar plots of sound scattering
• Visualise results vs criteria
• Screenshots of all software components

How it works

• Import 3D model from 3rd party software or model your project in OTL-Suite
• Assign source-receivers
• Assign your materials according to absorption coefficients or calculated surface impedance
• Run calculations for single or multiple receivers (mapping) for outdoor & indoor acoustics in one integrated environment
• Calculate Sound Distribution & Scattering Polar Plot 

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Applications

• Research & Prototyping
• Manufacturing including noise barriers
• Design of Acoustical Material and Structure & Manufacturing
• Noise Control Design & Strategy during construction
• Environmental Acoustics Assessment
• Room Acoustics Materials and Structures Optimisation
• Working Space Layout Acoustical Optimisation
• Wind Turbine Industry
• Health & Safety Criteria Exceedance
• Acoustical, Architecture & Interior Design
• Academia

​Users

• Acoustic Engineers & Consultants
  
• Audio & Sound Engineers
• Manufacturers
• Researchers
• Academia & Students
• Architects & Interior Designers
• Audio-Visual Installers
• Environmental engineers
• Health & Safety Officers
• Government & Local Authorities
• Professionals & Hobbyists

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Methodologies and Standards

Based on:

• ISO 9613-1: 1993(E): Acoustics - attenuation of sound during propagation outdoors - Part I: Calculation of the absorption of sound by the atmosphere. International Standards Organisation,1993.
• ISO 3382-1:2009 (E) : Acoustics - Measurement of room acoustic parameters - Part 1: Performance Spaces 
• ISO 3382-2:2008: Acoustics -- Measurement of room acoustic parameters -- Part 2: Reverberation time in ordinary rooms
• ISO 3382-3:2012: Acoustics - Measurements of room acoustic parameters - Part 3: Open Plan Offices
• IEC 60268-16:2011, Sound system equipment - Part 16: Objective rating of speech intelligibility by speech transmission index
• Olive Tree Lab-Acoustics Lib methodology based on a great number of scientific literature
• PEMARD's Framework

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Screenshots

Live Sound Affecting Communities
using Atmospheric Refraction

Sound Paths refracted from the atmosphere originating from loudspeakers (with the source directivity included) of a stadium to a nearby house on a hill.

Details of the .clf file used to model the loudspeaker directivity

Closeup of loudspeakers within the stadium.

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Now, Live Sound Affecting Communities can be Modeled by OTL-Suite, Taking Into Account Atmospheric Refraction

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Vertical sound distribution of the same configuration.

OTL-Suite’s Meteo side panel, other than calculating atmospheric refraction effects for wind turbine farms, can also be used to model the effects of sound propagation from open venues such as stadiums to nearby communities. Such modelling greatly assists both concert organizers and local authorities alike in assessing the impact of loud sound events.

Example of Multilayered Structure Builder

The Multilayered Structure Builder in OTL Suite calculates the following:

• Sound Reduction Index (10-10kHz)
• Rw(C;Ctr) ratings at 100-3150 Hz and 50-5kHz,
• equivalent statistical absorption coefficients 10-10kHz,
• ISO 11654 absorption coefficient,
• a(w), Class and NRC ratings of the structure
• integration angles 78 and 90 degrees
• complex surface impedance of the structure.

Advantages

• Unlimited number of layers
• High resolution frequency analysis in an extended frequency range from 10 Hz to 10kHz
• Export of values in both high resolution frequency analysis and 1/3 octave analysis
• Front-Back, Back-Front performance (in sound absorption calculations)

 
Limitations

• Applicable to infinite size panels. Future development to include finite size.
• Sound bridges apply between 2 plates and air or soft materials such as rockwool. In case 2 or more rockwool layers or rockwool and air layers are present between 2 plates, the bridges (links between the 2 plates) are not calculated.
• Corrugated plates cannot be calculated. To be included in future development.
  

Noise Mapping Examples

Road Traffic Model

Levels Before Mapping in 3D

Levels Before: Legend according to DIN 18005-2

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Example project of Highway Traffic, mapping shown in 3D and according to DIN

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Levels After: Legend according to DIN 18005-2

Levels After Mapping in 3D