ASTM E492-90(1996)e1
(Test Method)Standard Test Method for Laboratory Measurement of Impact Sound Transmission Through Floor-Ceiling Assemblies Using the Tapping Machine
Standard Test Method for Laboratory Measurement of Impact Sound Transmission Through Floor-Ceiling Assemblies Using the Tapping Machine
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory measurement of impact sound transmission of floor-ceiling assemblies using a standardized tapping machine. It is assumed that the test specimen constitutes the primary sound transmission path into a receiving room located directly below and that a diffuse sound field exists in this room.
1.2 Measurements may be conducted on floor-ceiling assemblies of all kinds, including those with floating-floor or suspended ceiling elements, or both, and floor-ceiling assemblies surfaced with any type of floor-surfacing or floor-covering materials.
1.3 This test method prescribes a uniform procedure for reporting laboratory test data, that is, the normalized one-third octave band sound pressure levels transmitted by the floor-ceiling assembly due to the tapping machine.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
ϵ1
Designation: E 492 – 90 (Reapproved 1996)
Standard Test Method for
Laboratory Measurement of Impact Sound Transmission
Through Floor-Ceiling Assemblies Using the Tapping
Machine
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 492; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (ϵ) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
ϵ NOTE—Keywords were added editorially in April 1996.
INTRODUCTION
This test method is one of several for evaluating the sound insulating properties of building
elements. It is designed to measure the impact sound transmission performance of an isolated
floor-ceiling assembly, in a controlled laboratory environment. Others in the set deal with field
measurement of impact sound transmission through floor-ceiling assemblies, and the laboratory and
field methods of measuring airborne sound transmission loss of building partitions such as walls,
floor-ceiling assemblies, doors, and other space-dividing elements.
1. Scope C 423 Test Method for Sound Absorption and Sound Ab-
sorption Coefficients by the Reverberation Room Method
1.1 This test method covers the laboratory measurement of
C 634 Terminology Relating to Environmental Acoustics
impact sound transmission of floor-ceiling assemblies using a
E90 Test Method for Laboratory Measurement ofAirborne
standardized tapping machine. It is assumed that the test
Sound Transmission Loss of Building Partitions
specimen constitutes the primary sound transmission path into
E 548 Guide for General Criteria Used for Evaluating
a receiving room located directly below and that a diffuse
Laboratory Competence
sound field exists in this room.
E 717 Guide for the Preparation of theAccreditationAnnex
1.2 Measurements may be conducted on floor-ceiling as-
of Acoustical Test Standards
semblies of all kinds, including those with floating-floor or
E 989 Classification for Determination of Impact Insulation
suspended ceiling elements, or both, and floor-ceiling assem-
Class (IIC)
blies surfaced with any type of floor-surfacing or floor-
2.2 ANSI Standards:
covering materials.
S1.11 Specification for Octave-Band and Fractional-
1.3 This test method prescribes a uniform procedure for
Octave-Band Analog and Digital Filters
reporting laboratory test data, that is, the normalized one-third
S1.26 Method for the Calculation of the Absorption of
octave band sound pressure levels transmitted by the floor-
Sound by the Atmosphere
ceiling assembly due to the tapping machine.
2.3 ISO Standard:
1.4 This standard does not purport to address the safety
ISO 140/6 Acoustics—Measurement of Sound Insulation in
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
Buildings and of Building Elements Part 6: Laboratory
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and
Measurements of Impact Sound Insulation of Floors
health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
3. Terminology
2. Referenced Documents 3.1 The acoustical terminology used in this method is
consistent with Terminology C 634C 634 except for the fol-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
lowing special usages.
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-33 on
EnvironmentalAcousticsandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeE33.03on Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.06.
Sound Transmission. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
Current edition approved Apr. 27, 1990. Published June 1990. Originally Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 W. 42nd St., 13th
published as E 492 – 73 T. Last previous edition E 492 – 86. Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
ϵ1
E 492 – 90 (1996)
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard: 6.1.2 The limit of impact sound levels that can be measured
3.2.1 receiving room—a reverberant room below the floor in the receiving room without being biased by flanking
specimen under test in which the sound pressure levels due to transmission must be determined for each test facility. A
the tapping machine are measured. suggested method is to build and install in the usual manner a
3.2.2 source room—the room containing the tapping ma- test specimen and to measure the vibration acceleration levels
chine. of the test specimen in the receiving room and the receiving
room walls. If the former exceeds the latter by 10 dB, one may
4. Summary of Test Method
consider the flanking transmission due to vibrating room
4.1 A standard tapping machine is placed in operation on a
surfaces as negligible. The amount of energy radiated from a
test-floor specimen that forms a horizontal separation between
structure depends upon its radiating efficiency as well as its
two rooms, one directly above the other. (See Section 6.) The
amplitude of vibrations.
transmitted impact sound characterized by the spectrum of the
NOTE 2—The amount of flanking transmission may also be determined
space-time average one-third octave band sound pressure
by using sound intensity techniques to measure the contribution of the
levels produced by the tapping machine is measured in the
radiating surfaces and any possible airborne leaks.
receiving room below.
6.2 Size and Shape of Receiving Room—To produce an
4.2 Since the spectrum depends on the absorption of the
acceptable approximation to the assumed diffuse sound fields,
receiving room, the sound pressure levels are normalized to a
especially in the lowest test frequency band, the receiving
reference absorption for purposes of comparing results ob-
room should meet the following requirements.
tained in different receiving rooms that differ in absorption.
6.2.1 Volume of Receiving Room—The recommended mini-
3 3
5. Significance and Use
mum volume of the receiving room is 125 m (4415 ft ).
Laboratoriesthatuseavolumesmallerthan125m mustreport
5.1 The evaluation of the impact sound-insulating perfor-
the room volume in their test report (1, 2).
mance of a floor-ceiling assembly begins with the measure-
6.2.2 Room Shape—It is recommended that no two dimen-
ment of the sound pressure levels in the room below the test
sions of the receiving room be the same or in the ratio of small
specimen. The spectrum of the noise in the room below is
whole numbers. The ratio of largest to smallest dimension of
determined by the following:
the room should be less than two.
5.1.1 The size and the mechanical properties of the floor-
ceiling assembly, such as its construction, surface, mounting or
NOTE 3—Theoretical studies of rectangular rooms (2, 3, 4) suggest that
1/3 2/3
edge restraints, stiffness, or internal damping,
the proportions 1:2 :2 provide an optimum distribution of modes in
5.1.2 The acoustical response of the room below, and
the lowest bands. Minor deviations in construction, or the presence of
diffusers, will alter the actual distribution.
5.1.3 Inevitably, the characteristics and placement of the
objectordeviceproducingtheimpactsandthenatureordegree
6.3 Sound Diffusion—Even in receiving rooms meeting the
of the actual impact itself.
requirements of 6.2, measurements in the lower test bands are
5.2 This test method is based on the use of a standardized
likelytodependcriticallyonmicrophonelocations.Space/time
tapping machine of the type specified in 8.1.1 and placed in
variations in measured sound pressure levels can be minimized
specific positions on the floor. This machine produces a
by using a diffusing panel system that incorporates stationary
continuous series of uniform impacts at a uniform rate on a test
or moving diffusing panels, or both. For this reason it is
floor and generates in the receiving room broadband sound
suggested that the receiving room should be fitted with
pressure levels sufficiently high to make accurate and repro-
diffusing panels. It has been found that diffusing panels
ducible measurements possible. The tapping machine itself,
meeting the following requirements have been effective in
however, is not designed to simulate any one type of impact,
diffusing sound fields. This is not to say that other diffusing
such as produced by male or female footsteps.
panels are more or less effective. Each laboratory should select
and install diffusing elements such that they meet the precision
NOTE 1—Caution: Because of its portable design, the tapping machine
does not simulate the weight of a human walker. Therefore, the creak or requirements of 11.3.
boom of a limber floor assembly caused by such footstep excitation may
6.3.1 The recommended minimum dimension of any diffus-
not be reflected in the single number impact rating derived from test
ing panel is 1 m excluding thickness and recommended
results obtained by this test method.The degree of correlation between the 2 2
minimum surface mass of the panels is 5 kg/m (1 lb/ft ).
results of tapping machine tests in the laboratory and the overall field
6.3.2 Fixed diffusing panels should be suspended in random
performance of floors under typical conditions of domestic impact
orientations throughout the room space. The distribution of the
excitation may be subject to some variation, depending on both the type
panelsshouldbedeterminedexperimentallyinordertoprovide
of floor construction and the nature of the impact excitation.
an acceptably uniform sound which satisfies the precision
6. Test Rooms
requirements of 11.3.
6.1 Flanking Transmission: 6.3.3 Moving diffusers usually comprise a set of rotating or
oscillating panels set at oblique angles relative to the room
6.1.1 The test rooms shall be so constructed and arranged
that the test specimen constitutes the only important transmis- surfaces. These devices are known to be particularly effective
in producing a uniform sound field.
sion path between them. The impact sound pressure level
transmitted through the test structure shall be at least 10 dB
greater than that transmitted into the receiving room by all
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
other paths. this standard.
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Please contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
ϵ1
E 492 – 90 (1996)
6.3.4 The recommended total single-sided area of fixed plus 7.2.2 Inthecaseofmaterialswhoseagingcharacteristicsare
moving panels should be greater than 10 to 15 % of the total not known, repeated tests over a reasonable time shall be made
on at least one specimen to determine an appropriate aging
surface of the receiving room.
period.
6.4 Room Absorption:
6.4.1 The sound absorption in the receiving room should be NOTE 5—Asuggestedprocedurefordeterminingifaspecimenhasaged
sufficiently is to conduct a series of tests on the specimen after 2, 4, 7, 14
low in order to achieve the best possible simulation of the ideal
or 28 days of aging. If for two consecutive tests on different days the
diffuse field condition, and in order to minimize the region
change in the one-third octave band sound pressure levels at each test
dominated by the direct field of the test specimen. It is
frequency is within the range of repeatability for laboratory tests on the
recommended that in the frequency range that extends from f
same specimen using identical facilities and equipment, then the specimen
1/3
= 2000/V to 2000 Hz that the Sabin absorption in the
can be considered to have aged sufficiently.
receiving room (as furnished with diffusers) and corrected for
7.3 Installation of Floor-Surfacing Materials:
air absorption be no greater than the following:
7.3.1 Floor-surfacing materials of significant weight, such
2/3
as carpets and pads, especially when installed with adhesive,
A 5 V /3 (1)
may significantly affect the response of the test specimen to
impacter, both during test and in normal use. Consequently,
where:
such materials should be deemed parts of the test specimen.
V = the room volume, m , and
Thematerialsandthemannerofinstallingthemshouldbefully
A = the room absorption in metric sabins.
described (see also 7.3.2 and 7.3.3). The floor-surfacing mate-
1/3
For frequencies below f = 2000/V , (where the number
rial should cover the whole test specimen, not merely the
2000 is an empirical constant with the units (metres/seconds)
portions under the impact machine.
somewhat higher absorption may be desirable to accommodate
7.3.2 The installation or laying of floor-surfacing materials
other test requirements (for example, ANSI S1.32, ISO 3741);
shall be in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction, espe-
in any case, the absorption should be no greater than three
cially in regard to cleaning and priming of the subfloor. It is
times the value given by Eq 1.
recommended that flooring materials, including underlayments
and adhesives, be stored in an environment similar to that of
NOTE 4—To minimize errors related to atmospheric absorption, the
the source room for at least 72 h before installation, preferably
temperature and humidity in the receiving room should be kept constant
with bundles or cartons broken open. It is recommended that
during both the transmission and absorption measurements; for monitor-
the environmental conditions be regulated to a temperature of
ing purposes, temperature and humidity should be measured and recorded
15 to 25°C and a relative humidity of 30 to 60 %. The
during each day’s testing. (SeeANSI S1.26 on air absorption correction.)
environmental conditions in both the source and receiving
6.5 The information and recommendations of 6.2-6.4 are
rooms should be controlled and recorded.
provided so that the closest possible approximation to a diffuse
7.3.3 The foregoing procedure is recommended for instal-
sound field will exist in the receiving room. The spatial
lation of any flooring material whether by nailing or adhesive
variationsmeasuredinthereceivingroomshallbesuchthatthe
techniques. Although most floors are ready for immediate use
precision requirements in 11.3 are satisfied at all frequencies.
after being installed, it is recommended that measurements on
floors with adhesive-applied surfacing materials be tested no
7. Test Specimens
soonerthan24hafterinstallationtoallowtheadhesivetocure.
For adhesives with undetermined aging periods see Note 3.
7.1 Size and Mounting—The test specimen shall include all
of the essential constructional elemen
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