Impact sound prediction of finite floor structures with the modal transfer matrix method

Abstract

The transfer matrix method (TMM) is commonly employed for wave propagation analysis in layered media of fluid, elastic and porous nature. Up to now it has been used extensively to analyze airborne sound transmission and sound absorption. Its use for impact sound transmission has been investigated to a limited extent, i.e. for thick homogeneous elastic plates of infinite extent and for specific receiver points. This contribution aims to broaden the scope such that the global impact sound, radiated by finite floor structures containing elastic, fluid and/or porous layers, can be analyzed in a more robust way than previously available in literature. A disadvantage of the conventional TMM is that only floors of infinite extent can be implemented. It is possible to remove this drawback using a spatial windowing technique. Furthermore, the modal behavior of the floor is approximately taken into account by projecting the impact force onto the mode shapes and only allowing for the propagation of those waves, corresponding to modal wavenumbers, in the structure. Predictions of the radiated sound power are made for various bare floors and floating floor systems of both infinite and finite extent.