Fitness noise control products - should we be measuring system or material properties?

Within the fitness flooring industry, the acoustical performance of products has typically been measured in a test chamber or in the field using a dropped object with the system response sensed as vibration or sound. The system test involves a number of measurement uncertainties arising from variations in the structural subfloor plus variations in the force transients generated by non-uniform objects. Additional uncertainties are caused by the use of non-standard drop heights and object release methods. This paper discusses an alternative technique for evaluating only the material properties of fitness flooring as it undergoes controlled dynamic loading. The long-term goal of this research program is to develop a rigorous test method for quantifying the dynamic properties of fitness flooring products.