Building component evaluation of a lightweight roof structure for a cinema complex with TXH qualification, taking aircraft noise into account

The demands to be met by cinemas are constantly increasing due to technological advances in film production. Although cinema auditoriums are being designed bigger and bigger and wide-spanning lightweight roof structures seem to make sense in terms of statics, they do need to be examined more closely from the point of view of sound engineering – above all under the influence of severe traffic noise (roads and aircraft). On the basis of an actual building project situated on a busy access way nearby Klagenfurt airport, an evaluation was performed on a lightweight roof element with high-quality acoustic characteristics. As is also the case with solid building components, smoke extractor openings and their connections are weak points. Nevertheless, the lightweight structure proved basically suitable – with the exception of aircraft, e.g. helicopters, flying directly above the building – and adequate noise protection could be expected.