Investigating the acoustic performance of flexible elastomeric foam insulation in dealing with impact noise

In recent years, significant attention has been devoted to a critical architectural concern, namely, the mitigation of impact noise transmission within building structures. This sound is transmitted to the whole building through the skeleton and is spread in the space by the vibrating surfaces of the building. Particularly in multi-story buildings, the transfer of knocking sound (e.g., noise by walking) from one floor to another significantly impacts the comfort of the building s occupants. Consequently, measures must be taken to minimize the transmission of percussive sounds from the ceiling, effectively enhancing the ceiling s soundproofing capabilities. Therefore, in this research, elastomeric insulation with a closed cell structure with simple roll shapes and egg crate patterns has been used to implement the floating floor. This approach aimed to effectively control and reduce noise resulting from impact events across various frequencies. Based on the investigations, the value of ΔLW coefficient for insulation cut in the shape of an egg crate patterns with a thickness of 12 mm and simple roll insulation with a thickness of 19 mm is 20 and 22, respectively. These findings underscore the efficacy of both insulation types in significantly reducing impact noise. It s important to note that the performance coefficient of elastomeric egg crate insulation exceeded expectations relative to its thickness.