Design of walls and floors for

good sound insulation

Measurement of Sound Insulation

The measurement is made in a laboratory by constructing

a wall between two specially isolated rooms. By isolating
the rooms, sound only travels between the rooms via the
test panel.
Measurement and Calculation

We measure the sound pressure on both sides of the

wall, in 16 frequency bands between 100Hz and
3150 Hz.
The results are plotted on a graph and a reference
curve adjusted until the number of points below the
graph is just less than 32 dB
The value of the reference curve at 500 Hz is the
weighted sound reduction index (Rw)

5
Calculation of Rw
(single number rating)
Engineering prediction methods

For single panels R is simply related to surface mass - m

7
Relation between surface mass
and R

8
Mass Law (single panel)

R  20 log( mf )  47

m is the surface mass (kg/m2)

f is the frequency (Hz)

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Mass Law (effect of mass)

R increases
by 6 dB per
doubling of
surface mass

10
 Mass Law (effect of frequency)
60

R increases
Sound Transmission Loss [dB]

50
by 6 dB per
40
octave
(doubling of
30 frequency)

20

10

0
50 100 200 400 800 1600 3150
frequency [Hz]

• Heavy vinyl fabric (5kg/m2)

--- Mass law

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 Bending Waves

•At low frequencies λb > λx (sound radiation inefficient)

•At critical frequency λb = λx (sound radiation efficient)

•At critical frequency the wavelength of the wave in the
wall matches or coincides with the wavelength of the
wave in the air.

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 Wave length in Plate and in Air

Wave lengths of Bending waves and airborne waves

(13mm Gypsum Board)
100

Critical frequency
Wavelength (metres)

10

1
Air
Plate
0.1

0.01
10 100 1000 10000
frequency (Hz)

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 Mass Law(including bending waves)
Resonant transmission
R  20 log( mf )  10 log( 2f / f c )  47
 - is the damping coefficient
f - is the critical frequency
c

f m - is a constant for each material

c

14
 Effect of Bending Waves
(12 mm Glass)
60
Resonant Transmission
Sound Transmission Loss [dB]

50

40
Forced Transmission
30

20

10
Critical frequency
0
50 100 200 400 800 1600 3150
frequency [Hz]

15
 Effect of thickness
(Glass)
As glass thickness
60 increases, low
Rw 37 frequency R
Sound Transmission Loss [dB]

50 increases
But critical frequency
Rw 32
40 decreases
12 mm
30

6 mm Rw 30
20

3 mm
10

50 100 200 400 800 1600 3150

frequency [Hz]

16
 Effect of damping
Laminated glass reduces the critical frequency dip

60

50
Sound Transmission Loss [dB]

6mm laminated glass

Rw 39
40 6mm glass

30
Rw 32
20

10

0
50 100 200 400 800 1600 3150
frequency [Hz]

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 Orthotropic Panels
Thin metal panels are often rolled into trapezoidal profiles to increase the stiffness and
hence spanning capacity

This is detrimental to their sound insulation because it lowers the critical frequency

18
Orthotropic Panels
fc = 20,000 Hz

fc = 250 Hz

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Foam Core Panels
Thin metal skins with foam plastic core

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Sound Insulation Properties

Dilatational
resonance frequency

75mm thick panel

with 0.6mm steel
skins Rw 26 dB

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Double Panel Wall
Two panels separated by an air gap

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 Double Panel prediction methods
Ideal Double Panels (London, Sharp)

R  20 log( f (m1  m2 ))  47 f  f0

R  R1  R2  20 log( fd )  29 f0  f  fl

R  R1  R2  6 f  fl
fo is the mass-air-mass resonance
fl is the knee frequency and is equal to (55/d) Hz
 Double wall behaviour
R  R1  R2  6

R  R1  R2  6

R  R 1  R 2  20 Log ( fd )  29

R  20 Log ( f (m1  m2 ))  47
Mass-air-mass resonance

1 c  1
2
1 
f0    
2 d  m1 m2 
Effect of Cavity Absorption

STC 65

STC 55
 Flow resistivity
Flow resistivity is a good predictor of acoustic absorption
performance, the higher resistivity the better.
Different types of absorber with same flow resistivity will
have same acoustic performance
100000
flow resistivity Rayl/m (Pa.s/m)

10000

1000
1 10 100 1000
density (kg/m3)
Effect of Flow resistivity
(fibreglass)
cavity infill 90mm 12kg/m3 (=4000 Rayl/m) STC 56

cavity infill 90mm 16kg/m3 (=8000 Rayl/m) STC 58

cavity infill 2x90mm 12kg/m3 (=4000 Rayl/m) STC 59

cavity infill 2x90mm 16kg/m3 (=8000 Rayl/m) STC 61

Effect of Connections
Sound energy
is transferred
by the solid
stud
connection

R  R1 2  10 Log (b. f c )

 20 Log[m1 /(m1  m 2 )]  18
Methods of isolating wall linings

Resilient Sound Isolation Clip Quietzone Acoustic Framing

Resilient fastenings of Linings
Comparison of single and double
wall
Description Thickness Mass (kg) Rw (dB)
(mm)

2x16mm 290 68 kg/m2 71

plasterboard on
2x100x50 studs

400mm Solid 400 900kg/m2 70

concrete

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Triple Panel Constructions
Three panels separated by two air gaps

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Lumped Parameter Model

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Lumped Parameter Model
second resonant
frequency

First resonant
frequency

f0 = 73, 263 Hz

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 Resonant Frequencies

f1 = 64 Hz f1 = 53, 92 Hz

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Comparison of Model to Measurements

37
 Masonry with attached lining
A 150mm thick
concrete wall which by
itself will be Rw 50 can
be less than Rw 50 if
light gypsum board
linings are fixed on both
sides.
The dip at the mass-air-
mass resonance can
reduce the Rw rating
Comparison of double and triple
wall
Description Thickness Mass (kg) Rw (dB)
(mm)

2x16mm 290 68 kg/m2 71

plasterboard on
2x100x50 studs

2x10mm 290 68kg/m2 69

plasterboard on
100x50 studs

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Comparison of single double and
triple panel walls

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 Cavity Walls
Rw 56 Rw 53 Rw 48 Rw 63
Sound Insulation Requirements
(Residential)

Category Airborne Insulation

High quality
Rw 65
Apartments

Mid quality
Rw 60
Apartments

Code Compliance
Rw 55
Minimum performance

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 Sound Insulation Requirements
(Education)
Library Class- Multi- Technology Technology Gymn- Music
/Study room purpose Room Room asium Room
Room Hall

Technology 60 60 60 55 55 55 60
Room
Gymnasium 60 60 60 55 55 55 60
Classroom 50 50 60 50 60 60 60
Multi-purpose 60 60 60 55 60 60 60
Hall
Library/Study 45 50 60 50 60 60 60
Room
Music Room 60 60 60 60 60 60 60

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Sound Insulation Requirements
(TV and Radio)

Required Rw

44
Impact Sound

45
Measuring Impact Sound

46
Australian Requirements

47
 Conclusions
Good sound insulation is very important in
buildings
Criteria can be established for each room in a
building based on user comfort
Walls and floors can be designed with simple
engineering models to meet criteria
Understanding the basic principles of sound
transmission helps prevent bad buildings

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