Computational prediction of impact sound insulation of a timber floor excited by an ISO standard tapping machine

During the last decades, researchers have actively developed procedures to predict impact sound insulation of timber slabs and floors using the finite element method (FEM). Since the simulations have mainly been performed in the low frequencies, a full understanding of their suitability for research and development (R&D) purposes has not yet been created. The object of the study reported in this paper was to determine the applicability of a modern FEM simulation procedure for predicting the normalised impact sound pressure level Ln of a full timber floor, when information provided by material manufacturers is used as input data. Force excitation caused by the ISO standard tapping machine was determined utilizing explicit time integration and FEM. The modelling of sound radiation itself was performed in a frequency domain FEM analysis. The models of a timber floor in its construction stages were constructed before the laboratory measurements of impact sound insulation so that the set-up corresponded to a simulated R&D task. Based on the prediction results, the applied procedure was considered suitable for R&D purposes and needs for further studies were identified.