The use of semianalytical calculation models to verify SEA predictions of flanking transmission in building structures

Abstract

The prediction of structure-borne sound transmission between coupled plates represents a key aspect when studying sound transmission in buildings, since vibrational energy flow between walls and floors leads to the existence of flanking paths. The resulting flanking transmission can be assessed theoretically using statistical energy analysis (SEA). In this method, the coupling between plates is usually estimated based on the wave approach for the corresponding semi-infinite plates. For a specific type of junction, one might consider verifying the predictive performance of SEA experimentally on an isolated plate junction. However, possible discrepancies between measured and predicted data can result either from the failure of the calculation model for the semi-infinite plates, or by the violation of the basic SEA assumptions. In this paper, a semianalytical calculation model based on a modal summation approach for finite-sized plates is proposed to determine the source of the prediction error. For this purpose, calculations are performed for two ensembles of similar corner junctions with randomly distributed dimensions. The analysis emphasizes the influence of the model overlap factor on the accuracy of SEA. [Research funded by the Flemish Institute for the promotion of Scientific Technological Research in Industry (IWT).]