ENGINEERING

ETN-B-3-16
Vibration and Sound Control in
Reinforced Concrete Buildings
Technical Note Introduction
Consideration of vibration and sound
within buildings is an important aspect in
design. Vibrations may simply be unpleas-
ant or may cause significant difficulties,
particularly when day-to-day activities of
the occupants, performance of sensitive
equipment, or important functions are rou-
tinely disrupted. Sounds transmitted from a
room or office can have a direct impact on
the comfort and productivity of the occu-
pants in adjacent rooms, especially where
people are trying to rest, sleep, or perform
normal activities.
This Technical Note summarizes basic vi-
bration and sound control characteristics of
reinforced concrete. Sources of vibration
and sound typically encountered in rein-
forced concrete buildings are discussed as
are acceptance criteria for both. Guidelines
are provided on how to choose a reinforced
concrete floor system based on vibration
acceptance criteria. Information is also giv-
en on the inherent sound control qualities
of reinforced concrete and how these quali-
ties meet minimum code requirements for
sound transmission.
Vibration Control
Natural Frequency of Reinforced Concrete
Floor Systems
One of the fundamental vibration char-
acteristics of any floor system is its natural
frequency, which is related to the mass and
stiffness of the floor system. Natural fre-
quency is a measure of how a floor system
will respond to the sources that can cause
vibration and is directly related to how the
occupants will perceive such vibrations.
Most commercial computer programs
can determine natural frequency and oth-
er pertinent vibration characteristics using
finite element methods. Simplified proce-
dures to determine the natural frequency
of reinforced concrete floor systems can
be found in CRSI (2014).
In general, the greater the natural fre-
quency, the more likely the floor system
will be able to satisfy the required vibra-
tion acceptance criteria for human comfort
or sensitive equipment. Because of their
inherent mass and stiffness, reinforced
concrete floor systems can readily meet
even the most stringent acceptance crite-
ria. Natural frequencies in the range of 7
to 12 Hz can be achieved by satisfying only

Table 1 – Sources of Vibrations in Buildings

Sources Description

Occupants walking across the floor

Occupants participating in rhythmic activities, such as dancing, aerobics,

and other forms of exercise without and with equipment, such as tread-
mills
Internal Elevator and conveyance systems

HVAC equipment

Rotating mechanical equipment on an elevated floor or roof

Vehicular traffic on internal parking levels

Transportation-related sources such as nearby roadways, trains, and

subways
External
Nearby construction activities

Nearby industrial activities

the minimum serviceability requirements in ACI 318
(ACI 2014). Larger natural frequencies are also easily at-
tainable. Many economical reinforced concrete options
are available to satisfy essentially any prescribed accep-
tance criteria.
Sources of Vibration
Vibration of floor systems in buildings can be caused
by a variety of sources, including the ones identified in
Table 1. Sources that occur inside of or that are attached
to a building are categorized as internal sources and
those that are not are classified as external sources. The
items in the Table, which are not meant to be compre-
hensive, are sources that can typically have an impact on
vibration design of a floor system.
The range of frequencies associated with these vibra-
tion sources is large, and the frequencies of typical floor
systems fall well within that overall range. As such, it is
possible that vibrational effects from any of these sourc-
es would need to be included in the overall serviceability
design of a floor system. The discussion that follows fo-
cuses on vibrational effects from internal sources.
Acceptance Criteria for Human Comfort
In general, human response to vibration is very com-
plex. The magnitude (amplitude) of the vibration is one
factor and the duration of the vibration is another. For
example, continuous vibration can be more bothersome
than infrequent impact. Perception of vibration depends
on what a person is doing: people in quiet surroundings
will generally perceive floor motion more readily than
people who are participating in an activity, such as danc-
ing or aerobics.
Although many criteria have been proposed through
the years for human comfort related to vibration, no
universally accepted criteria exist to date for walking or
rhythmic excitations. Recommended acceleration limits
for human comfort for vibrations due to specific activi-
ties were developed by the International Organization
for Standardization (ISO 1989) and have been success-
fully implemented in a wide variety of situations. Limits
for different occupancies are provided in terms of root-
mean-square (rms) accelerations as multiples of a base-
line curve. Suggested peak accelerations based on
these multipliers are given in Figure 1.
Acceptance Criteria for Sensitive Equipment
Vibration limits can be very stringent for sensitive
equipment (such as electron microscopes or microelec-
tronic manufacturing equipment) or where sensitive
procedures must be carried out (such as eye or neuro
surgery). Where such equipment or procedures cannot
be located on a floor or foundation that is supported di-
rectly by the ground or that cannot be separated from
the rest of the structure, the floor system must be de-
signed to accommodate the appropriate vibration limits
so that the equipment can perform or the procedures
can be performed as intended.
2 Vibration and Sound Control in Reinforced Concrete Buildings [ETN-B-3-16]
100
Unacceptable Zone:
Areas above the curves
for each structure type
10
Rhythmic
Activities
Shopping
Peak Acceleration %g
Malls,Dining
and Dancing
1
Offices/
Residential
0.1
ISO Baseline
Curve
Acceptable Zone:
Areas below the curves
0.01
1 10 100
Frequency cps
Figure 1 – Recommended Peak Accelerations for Human
Comfort for Vibrations due to Human Activities (ISO
1989).
Manufacturers of sensitive equipment will typically
provide vibration acceptance criteria, which is usually
given in terms of limiting vibrational velocities. When
such criteria are not available or where the exact type of
equipment is not known, generic acceptance criteria can
be used in preliminary design stages (see CRSI 2014).
Selection of a Reinforced Concrete Floor System
Based on Required Vibration Acceptance Criteria
The cast-in-place, nonprestressed reinforced concrete
floor systems considered in this Technical Note are wide-
module joist systems, flat plate systems, flat plate void-
ed concrete slab systems, two-way joist systems, and
grillage systems (see Figure 2). Methods to determine
approximate vibration characteristics (such as floor stiff-
ness and natural frequency) for these systems can be
found in CRSI (2014).
Table 2 can be useful in the initial selection of a rein-
forced concrete floor system based on acceptance cri-
teria for walking excitations, rhythmic excitations, and
sensitive equipment. The cells in the Table that contain
an “X” denotes that a floor system will most likely be
able to satisfy the appropriate criteria under normal con-
ditions without having to resort to extreme measures
to do so (such as having to provide unusually large, un-
economical member sizes or impractically small span
lengths). This information should be used as a guide
in the selection process; every situation is unique and
 (a) (b)

(c) (d)

(e)

Figure 2 – Reinforced Concrete Floor Systems: (a) wide-module joist (b) flat plate (c) flat plate voided concrete slab
(d) two-way joist (e) grillage.

Table 2 – Initial Selection Guide for Reinforced Concrete Floor Systems Based on Vibration Acceptance Criteria

Vibration Acceptance Criteria

Floor System
Walking Excitation Rythmic Excitation Sensitive Equipment

Wide-module joist X

Flat plate X

Flat plate voided concrete slab X X X

Two-way joist X X X

Grillage X X X

CRSI Technical Note 3

there are many variables to take into account, so it
should not be assumed that a specific type of floor sys-
tem can or cannot satisfy required acceptance criteria
for a specific project based only on the information in
this Table. Experience and calculations using fundamen-
tal vibrational characteristics and practical span and load-
ing limitations for each type of floor system were used
in creating this Table.
Advantages of Reinforced Concrete with Respect to
Vibration Control
Because of their inherent mass and stiffness, rein-
forced concrete floor systems designed in accordance
with the minimum serviceability requirements in ACI
318 (ACI 2014) have been found to readily satisfy vibra-
tion acceptance criteria for human comfort under typi-
cal service conditions and occupancies. The acceptance
criteria for walking excitations are easily satisfied for all
types of reinforced concrete floor systems by providing
member sizes based on only the appropriate minimum
thickness requirements in ACI 318. This is in contrast to
structural steel and wood floor systems where member
sizes must typically be increased and/or where addition-
al members must be used to satisfy the criteria for walk-
ing excitations.
Acceptance criteria for rhythmic excitations are directly
related to the fundamental frequency of a floor system,
so an inherently stiff floor system—like the two-way joist
and grillage systems and under certain circumstances
the flat plate voided concrete slab system—should be
specified in such cases.
The expected maximum velocity due to walking-in-
duced vibrations is inversely proportional to the stiffness
of the floor system, so in order to satisfy the acceptance
criteria for sensitive equipment, flat plate voided con-
crete slab, two-way joist, or grillage systems must usu-
ally be used in such cases because they can be designed
to be very stiff while still being relatively economical
compared to the other floor systems. It is unlikely that a
flat plate system with typical span lengths and superim-
posed loads will be able to satisfy acceptance criteria for
sensitive equipment even when the required vibrational
velocity is relatively large unless an inordinately large
slab thickness is utilized. However, a practical, economi-
cal grillage system can be designed to satisfy even the
most severe acceptance criteria for sensitive equipment.
Once a preliminary floor system has been selected,
a comprehensive analysis should be performed, which
verifies the adequacy of the floor system for strength,
deflection, and vibration. It is important to properly de-
sign for vibrational effects before a building is construct-
ed because remediating the effects from vibration later
can be quite challenging and expensive.
4 Vibration and Sound Control in Reinforced Concrete Buildings [ETN-B-3-16]
Sound Control
Properties of Sound
Frequency, wavelength, and amplitude are the three
properties of sound. Frequency, which is also referred
to as pitch, is the number of cycles per second (Hz) pro-
duced by a sound wave that is generated by a sound
source, that is, the number of times per second the
sound pressure alternates above and below the ambient
atmospheric pressure. Human hearing range is typically
20 to 20,000 Hz. Below 125 Hz is categorized as low
frequency and above 4,000 Hz is categorized as high fre-
quency. Frequency has a notable impact on sound trans-
mission: low frequency sound will transmit more readily
through an acoustic barrier than high frequency sound.
Wavelength is the distance between the start and end
of a sound wave cycle. The frequency of a sound wave
is inversely proportional to its wavelength. Amplitude is
synonymous to loudness and is measured in decibels
(dB), which is the ratio of a given sound pressure to a
reference sound pressure.
Changes in sound levels are usually noticeable in the
5- to 8-dB range while a difference of as much as 2 dB
generally goes unnoticed. High decibel levels can range
from being annoying to painful and can produce adverse
effects on the people subjected to them.
Sources of Sound
Sound can be generated from numerous sources both
inside and outside of a building. In general, there are
two types of sound paths: airborne sound and impact
sound. Airborne sounds radiate from a source directly
into the air. Typical interior and exterior airborne sound
sources are given in Table 3. Impact sound, which is
also commonly referred to as structure-borne sound, is
sound that travels through solid building materials. Table
3 contains examples of typical impact sound sources.
Note that the sound sources provided in this Table are
not meant to be comprehensive.
Unwanted, excess sound is defined as noise.
Depending on its properties and the materials utilized in
a building, noise can have a significant negative impact
on the building occupants. Table 4 provides some typical
decibel levels from various sound sources and descrip-
tions of the expected impact on people experiencing
those sounds.
Like the effects from vibrations, what is considered
to be noise depends upon the individual that is experi-
encing the sound. Information on how the effects from
sound sources can be reduced through the use of rein-
forced concrete is provided below.
Acoustic Ratings
In general, acoustic ratings are measures of sound
transmission in building materials and assemblies. The
two types of acoustic ratings discussed here are sound
Table 3 – Sources of Sound in Buildings Tables 5 and 6 give typical STC
ratings for various wall and roof/
Type of Source Description floor assemblies, respectively.
Voices An increase of 10 in the STC
translates roughly to a decrease
Music in the perceived noise by one-
Interior Machinery / Mechanical equipment half. Therefore, based on the in-
Office equipment formation in Table 5, only about
one-quarter as much sound
Airborne Airflow through uninsulated HVAC ductwork
penetrates a 6 in. concrete wall
Traffic / Highways compared to a wood stud wall
Aircraft with gypsum board.
Exterioir
Industrial To determine STC ratings of
Construction assemblies, measurements are
Footsteps on floors
taken in a laboratory in accor-
dance with the requirements
Door knocks or slams in ASTM E90 (ASTM 2009). The
Washers and dryers methodology for calculating
Impact Fans the STC is given in ASTM E413
(ASTM 2016b).
Mechanical / Plumbing equipment vibration
Weight drops on fitness center or gymnasium floors The following are important
to keep in mind when trying to
Rain
achieve a required or desired
STC rating:
Table 4 – Decibel Levels from Various Sound Sources
• STC does not measure blockage of low frequency
Sound Source Decibel (dB) Range
sounds; only mid- to high-frequency sounds are
measured. As noted previously, lower frequency
Concerts, jackhammers,
Painful: 120 – 150 dB sounds contain more energy and take more mass
plane taking off, firearms
to attenuate.
Machinery, snowmobile, Extremely loud: 90 – 100
public transit, traffic dB • Adding mass improves the STC rating. Doubling the
mass of an assembly can increase the STC rating by
Alarm clock, busy approximately 5 dB.
street, vacuum cleaner, Very loud: 60 – 80 dB
dishwasher • Wall assemblies built in the field will usually have
STC ratings that are 3 to 5 dB lower than those de-
Talking, normal voice 3 ft termined in a laboratory.
Normal: 50 – 60 dB
to 12 ft from speaker
• Sound transmission is governed by the weakest links
Moderate rainfall, quiet
room
Moderate: 40 – 50 dB in a wall assembly, which are usually the openings
that are commonly found in a wall. These openings
Whisper, quiet library Faint: 30 dB are referred to as flanking paths and can include
doors, windows, switches, outlets, mechanical/pipe
penetrations, and any gaps around these items that
transmission class (STC) and impact insulation class let sound through. Flanking paths will significantly
(IIC). reduce the STC rating of a wall assembly. It is impor-
tant that gaskets around doors, sealants around win-
Sound Transmission Class (STC)
dows, and the like are installed properly to ensure
STC is the measure, in decibels, of how much airborne
that the required STC rating is achieved.
sound a floor or wall assembly blocks. STC ratings only
measure sound blocked in the 125 to 4,000 Hz range, Impact Insulation Class (IIC)
which correspond to normal and amplified speech. A IIC ratings measure how much structure-borne sound
wall assembly with an STC rating of 50 can reduce 110 is blocked in floor/ceiling assemblies. The higher the IIC,
dB of airborne sound generated on one side of the wall the better the floor/ceiling assembly is at blocking the
to 60 dB of airborne sound on the other. This is the equiv- impact noise. Values of IIC for some of the assemblies
alent of reducing the noise level of a rock concert to the in Table 6 are given in Table 7.
level of normal speech.

CRSI Technical Note 5

 Impact sound transmission loss of floor/ceiling assem-
blies is measured in a laboratory and must conform to
the requirements in ASTM E492 (ASTM 2016a). A tap-
ping machine is used to generate impact noise: the ma-
chine drops five hammers in rapid succession at equal
intervals on the test specimen. Impact sound pressure
levels are measured in the receiving room below the
test specimen. The information from these tests is then
used to determine the IIC, which is calculated in accor-
dance with ASTM E989 (ASTM 2012).
Limitations on Sound and Acceptable Noise Criteria
Building codes, federal regulations, state regulations,
and standards contain requirements for limiting the ef-
fects of sound in a building. The appropriate requirements
that need to be satisfied are based on the governing
entity under which the building is to be designed and
constructed.
Section 1207 of the International Building Code (IBC)
contains sound transmission requirements that apply
to common interior walls, partitions, and floor/ceiling
assemblies between (1) adjacent dwelling units and
sleeping units or (2) dwelling units and sleeping units
and adjacent public areas such as halls, corridors, stair-
ways, or service areas (ICC 2015). For airborne sound, a
minimum value of 50 is required for the STC if the mea-
surements are performed in a laboratory or 45 if field
tested. For impact sound, a minimum value of 50 is re-
quired for the IIC if the measurements are performed in
a laboratory or 45 if field tested. It is important to check
sound transmission requirements with the local building
authority that has jurisdiction over the project.

Table 5 – Sound Transmission Class (STC) Values for Wall Assemblies

Wall Assembly STC (dB)*

Wood stud wall (2 × 4 in. studs spaced at 16 in. on center with ½ in. gypsum board on each face screwed
34
to the studs)
Metal stud wall (35/8 in., 25 gauge studs spaced 24 in. on center with a single layer of 5/8 in. gypsum board
39
on each face screwed to the studs)
8 × 8 × 16 in. lightweight CMU (28 lbs/block) 45

Common brick mortared together with ½ in. gypsum/sand plaster 50

6 in. normal-weight concrete wall (75 psf) 55

* Source: DuPree (1980)

Table 6 – Sound Transmission Class (STC) Values for Roof/Floor Assemblies

Roof/Floor Assembly STC (dB)

0.036-in.-thick corrugated galvanized steel roof deck 23*

2 × 10 wood joists spaced 16 in. on center with 5/8 in. subfloor glued to joists and nailed 12 in. on center, ¼
in. particle board glued to plywood, ½ in. parquet wood flooring glued to particle board, and ½ in. gypsum 42†
board ceiling screwed to joists 12 in. on center
8 in. lightweight hollow core concrete slab (57 psf) 50†

6 in. normal-weight concrete slab (75 psf) 55†

* Source: Mehta et. al. (1999)
† Source: DuPree (1980)

Table 7 – Impact Insulation Class (IIC) Values for Floor/Ceiling Assemblies

Floor/Ceiling Assembly IIC (dB)*

8 in. lightweight hollow core concrete slab (57 psf) 28

6 in. normal-weight concrete slab (75 psf) 34

2 × 10 wood joists spaced 16 in. on center with 5/8 in. subfloor glued to joists and nailed 12 in. on center, ¼
in. particle board glued to plywood, ½ in. parquet wood flooring glued to particle board, and ½ in. gypsum 37
board ceiling screwed to joists 12 in. on center
6 in. normal-weight concrete slab (75 psf) with 1/2 -in.-thick wood fiber board, carpet, and padding 81
* Source: DuPree (1980)

6 Vibration and Sound Control in Reinforced Concrete Buildings [ETN-B-3-16]

Table 8 – IIC-STC Rating Scale Impact sound requirements are readily satisfied when
reinforced concrete slabs are used in combination with
ICC-STC Description resilient materials, such as carpeting on padding or when
Virtually sound proof resilient materials are used underneath hard surfacing.
70 Unlike airborne sound, the thickness or unit weight of
No complaints of noise
concrete does not greatly affect the transmission of im-
Superior sound proofing pact sounds. The IIC of a 6 in. concrete slab without any
floor coverings is 34, which is relatively low (see Table
60 Minimal complaints about noise
7). However, if this slab is covered with ½-in.-thick wood
Low frequency noise may be heard fiber board, carpet, and padding, which is common in
Minimum values required by the IBC residential and commercial occupancies, the IIC value
increases to 81 (DuPree 1980). Acoustic mats placed di-
50 Loud speach not audible
rectly on the surface of a concrete slab is another one of
Impact noise significantly reduced many ways to increase the IIC when hard surfaces, such
as ceramic tile, are required.
Sound proofing below IBC requirements
44
Loud speech and impact sound audible Summary
No sound proofing Because of their inherent characteristics of mass and
39 Loud speech and impact sound clearly stiffness, reinforced concrete systems are well suited
audible to satisfy requirements for vibration and sound control.
Many economical options are available in reinforced
concrete to ensure that the occupants of a building can
Table 8 contains an IIC-STC rating scale and generic perform day-to-day activities without experiencing dis-
descriptions for each rating level. ruptions due to vibration or noise.

While STC and IIC ratings of 50 are the minimum pre- References
scribed by the IBC, it is not uncommon for owners of
ACI (American Concrete Institute). 2014. “Building
high-end properties to stipulate STC and IIC ratings of
Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and
60 or higher. While an STC of 60 is readily achievable, IIC
Commentary.” ACI 318-14, Farmington Hills, Michigan.
values of 60 generally require the use of resilient floor-
ing (vinyl) or carpet and are difficult to attain using hard ASTM (American Society for Testing and
surfacing such as ceramic tile. Materials). 2009. “Standard Test Method for Laboratory
Measurement of Airborne Sound Transmission Loss of
Advantages of Reinforced Concrete with Respect to
Building Partitions and Elements.” ASTM E90 – 09, West
Sound Control
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
Reinforced concrete has many inherent characteristics
that make it ideal for attenuating sounds: ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials).
2012. “Standard Classification for Determination of
•
Due to its greater mass, reinforced concrete has
Impact Insulation Class (IIC).” ASTM E989 – 12, West
higher STC ratings and can block low frequency
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
sounds better than wood or steel.
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials).
• Due to mainly flat floor and roof surfaces, it is easier
2016a. “Standard Test Method for Laboratory
to avoid flanking paths in reinforced concrete struc-
Measurement of Impact Sound Transmission Through
tures compared to structures of other materials.
Floor-Ceiling Assemblies Using the Tapping Machine.”
• Low frequency thumping sounds of foot traffic are ASTM E492 – 16, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
better attenuated by reinforced concrete floor sys-
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials).
tems than floor systems of wood or steel.
2016b. “Classification for Rating Sound Insulation.”
• Exterior walls of reinforced concrete attenuate out- ASTM E413 – 16, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
side noise sources (which tend to be low frequencies
CRSI (Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute). 2014.
below 125 Hz) significantly better than other materi-
Design Guide for Vibrations of Reinforced Concrete
als; this is especially beneficial for schools, hospitals,
Floor Systems, Schaumburg, IL.
and residences, or where buildings are located near
an airport or other loud sound sources.

CRSI Technical Note 7

 DuPree, R.B. 1980. Catalog of STC and IIC Ratings for
Wall and Floor/Ceiling Assemblies. California Department of
Health Services, Office of Noise Control, Berkley, California.

ICC (International Code Council). 2015. International

Building Code, Washington, D.C.

ISO (International Organization for Standardization).

1989. Evaluation of Human Exposure to Whole-Body
Vibration – Part 2: Human Exposure to Continuous and
Shock-Induced Vibrations in Buildings (1 to 80 Hz), ISO
2631-2.

Mehta, M., Johnson, J., and Rocafort, J. 1999.

Architectural Acoustics: Principles and Design. Prentice
Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Contributors: The primary contributors to this publication are: David A. Fanella, Ph.D., P.E., S.E.,
F.ACI, F.ASCE and David B. McDonald, Ph.D., P.E., F.ACI, F.ASCE

Keywords: acoustic rating, IIC (impact insulation class), natural frequency, noise, reinforced concrete,
sound, STC (sound transmission class), vibration.

Reference: Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute – CRSI [2016], “Vibration and Sound Control in 933 North Plum Grove Rd.
Reinforced Concrete Buildings,” CRSI Technical Note ETN-B-3-16, Schaumburg, Illinois, 8 pp.
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4758
Historical: None p. 847-517-1200 • f. 847-517-1206
www.crsi.org
Note: This publication is intended for the use of professionals competent to evaluate the significance
and limitations of its contents and who will accept responsibility for the application of the material it Regional Offices Nationwide
contains. The Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute reports the foregoing material as a matter of infor-
mation and, therefore, disclaims any and all responsibility for application of the stated principles or for A Service of the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
the accuracy of the sources other than material developed by the Institute. ©2016 This publication, or any part thereof, may not be
reproduced without the expressed written consent of CRSI.