Prediction model for the impact sound level of lightweight floors

Lightweight floors are often troubled by poor impact-sound insulation. In order to develop and explain structures with acceptable insulation, a deterministic prediction model was developed. The paper considers transmission through the system and the response of the model. Excitation (as caused by the ISO-tapping machine) is considered in a separate paper. The system description employs a spatial transform technique, making use of the periodicity of the floor structure with the aid of Poisson's sum rule. The radiated power is calculated using numerical integration in the wave-number domain, the radiated power enabling the impact sound level to be calculated. Comparisons are made between measurements found in the literature and the proposed prediction model, the effects of different excitation models being discussed. A relatively close agreement is achieved, especially if an elaborate excitation model is employed.