Sound insulation

Types and paths
of sound

Noise has been proven to make people ill. This makes it all the more important to pay attention not only to natural and sustainable materials but also to appropriate sound insulation. The following applies: the more mass, the lower the sound transmission. To ensure that wood, as a relatively lightweight building material, does not lose out here, careful planning with the right products and careful soundproofing are required.

What is impact sound,
airborne and structure-borne sound?

Impact sound is caused by the contact of a sound source with a solid object – this could be footsteps on the floor, for example. The resulting sound waves propagate through the material and can be perceived as airborne sound in the neighbouring room. This is also generated by music or conversations. The most common form of sound transmission in the environment is through walls and ceilings, doors and windows. Structure-borne sound, on the other hand, occurs when sound waves are transmitted through a solid material, such as the body of a musical instrument. We hear the sound as soon as it hits the air.

Impact sound, sound insulation and airborne sound
IMPACT SOUND: ACOUSTIC
SOLUTIONS FOR CEILINGS

To prevent the transmission of impact sound, the floor must be structurally separated from the ceiling on which it rests.

WHAT IS THE
"MASS-SPRING-MASS" SYSTEM?

The sound insulation of two- or multi-shell components is based on the “mass-spring-mass” principle. This means that the masses of a system are decoupled via a spring, which does not transmit the vibrations generated by airborne sound waves from one side to the other. The ratio of the mass and stiffness of the heavy and light components is decisive for effective sound insulation.

HOW IS AIRBORNE SOUND TRANSMITTED AND WHAT DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE?

  • Caused by vibrations in the air, airborne sound propagates in the form of sound waves through the air and solid barriers such as walls and ceilings, doors and windows.
  • Decoupling construction systems, such as floating screed, reduce the propagation of sound through the ceiling.
  • The use of sound-insulating materials in walls, ceilings and floors can also significantly reduce the transmission of airborne sound.

More on the
Topic
Building physics

Overview