Methods for determination of acoustic properties of building materials

Abstract

Experimental determination of acoustic properties of building materials is an important task gaining higher importance due to demand for materials suitable for constructions located in places with high level of noise, typically in urban areas and places close to the areas with heavy traffic. In this paper, two types of experimental setups are arranged, and tested on steel prism and brick block. Transmitter-receiver method is based on exciting the tested material by one period of harmonic signal and analysis of response on two accelerometers placed on the excited and the opposite side of the sample. The second method is based on measurement of the sound pressure level in a system of two reverberation chambers by precise microphones and vibration analyzer. Transmitter-receiver measurement conducted on steel sample revealed the fact that further adjustment of the measurement setup and successive analysis is necessary. Measurement in reverberation chambers is convenient for comparison of acoustic insulation ability of heterogeneous building materials.