Can Beam-Block Floors Be Considered Homogeneous Panels regarding Impact Sound Insulation?

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the acoustic performance of beam-block floors regarding impact noise, modelling them as homogenous floors with the same mass per unit area and same elastic characteristics. The study mainly consisted in the development of a simplified analytical model to characterise impact sound insulation in buildings, according to what is established in the appropriate set of international standards, and in its validation with experimental results. The study was developed under two main lines of investigation: experimental work carried out in laboratory facilities; and the evaluation of the efficiency of the analytical model. The model is based on two methodologies: the modal approach and statistical energy analysis (SEA). The first one applies to the low frequency range and the second one to high frequencies.