Impact noise isolation provided by a bare concrete slab evaluated according to European and American regulations and two prediction software compared to field measurements

Abstract

European regulation EN12354-2:2000 outlines a procedure to predict impact noise isolation provided by a floor covering installed on a concrete slab. In Annex B of this regulation, one can found a formula to calculate the Normalized Impact Sound Pressure Levels (NISPL) for a bare concrete slab. In North America, ASTM 2179-03 standard describes a procedure to measure impact noise insertion loss provided by a floor covering in laboratory conditions, using NISPL of a reference bare concrete slab. INSUL software uses Cremer's point force excitation theory to evaluate NISPL of concrete slab whereas BASTIAN software uses the procedure described in EN12354-2:2000 European regulation. This paper presents a comparison between NISPL calculated for 8 to 10 inches thick bare concrete slab according to procedures and software listed above and field NISPL measurements of thirty-five bare concrete slabs varying in thickness from 8 to 10 inches presented in a article published in the Journal of Canadian Acoustical Association [Morin (2009)]. This comparison suggests that a statistical approach is required to evaluate accurately NISPL provided by a floor covering installed on a concrete slab according to the procedures and software listed above.