Effects of Wall-to-Wall Supported Ceilings on Impact Sound Insulation for Use in Residential Buildings

Abstract

In Korean residential buildings, floor impact sounds were reduced over the past few decades mainly through a floating floor system. However, ceiling constructions for impact sound reduction have not been applied actively because of a lack of useful information. This study focuses on the effects of wall-to-wall supported ceilings (WSC), which are designed with construction discontinuities between concrete slabs and ceilings, and the damping caused by porous absorbers for impact sound insulation. To examine the impact sound insulation according to ceiling conditions, measurements were performed in 25 floor–ceiling assemblies. The results indicate that ceiling treatment is mostly useful in reducing the floor impact sound. The floor impact sound owing to the WSC decreased by 2–7 dB and 2–8 dB in terms of the single number quantity for the tapping machine and rubber balls, respectively, compared with representative existing housing constructions wherein ceilings were attached on wooden sticks. Furthermore, the reduction effect of the WSC appeared to be more profound when it was applied to the floor–ceiling assembly with poor impact sound insulation. Thus, the WSC can be used to enhance the impact of sound insulation of existing housings without major repairs of floor structural layers.

Impact Sound Reduction Performances of Additional Floor Mats for the Retrofitting of an Existing Apartment Building in Accordance with Test-Bed Conditions

“…The progress of developing ceiling structures in receiving rooms to reduce noise from floor impacts is also underway [21][22][23][24][25][26]. This involves using internal acoustic materials to minimize the amplification of impact noises to the room below due to the influence of the air layer within the ceiling and a ceiling-less design to minimize the transmission of impact noises through the ceiling.…”

“…This involves using internal acoustic materials to minimize the amplification of impact noises to the room below due to the influence of the air layer within the ceiling and a ceiling-less design to minimize the transmission of impact noises through the ceiling. Furthermore, there have been notable design alterations aimed at minimizing floor impact noises, such as changes in the placement of load-bearing walls and advancements in floor design to manage sound patterns [25]. However, the application of such research and technology appears to be passive and insufficient from the perspective of apartment dwellers [27,28].…”