Modelling impact sound reduction in floating wood floors

Abstract

The transmission of footfall-excited impact sound is commonly reduced using floating wood floors. These constructions contain three layers: a load-bearing wood floor, a resilient material and a floating wood slab. For wood construction excited by transient load (e.g. footsteps), sound reduction estimations may contain uncertainties due to inadequate modelling of footsteps and floor components. This paper presents a multiple degree-of-freedom system model using Working Model 2D® (WM2D). The model includes orthotropic behavior of wood and equivalent spring stiffness determination of the resilient layer. Sound reduction is determined and it is shown that larger reductions are possible through the inclusion of floating wood slabs in the load-bearing floor.

Keywords:

• Floating floors
• resonance
• sound reduction
• vibration

Acknowledgements

The research is funded by the Volgenau School of Information Technology and Engineering. The authors gratefully acknowledge the feedback from Drs Arciszewski and Houck for this project.