Challenges for acoustic calculation models in "Silent Timber Build", Part 2

The project "Silent Timber Build" will develop new prediction tools for timber structures. There are several challenges that have to be overcome to provide a full prediction tool. The differences in weight, stiffness and density for wooden structures compared to traditional, heavy and more homogeneous structural material have repercussions on how the sound propagates throughout the structures, affecting the sound and vibration insulation performance and also theories to be used in prediction models. The project will use Finite element simulations (FEM) and Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) approaches to predict acoustical behavior of light weight timber constructions. This article, following another article Part 1, will focus on medium and high frequency range calculations. Statistical methods will be used in the medium and high frequency, where the acoustic performance of wooden building components (walls and floors) is generally limited by the presence of structural links and couplings. Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) has proven to be an efficient approach, providing robust vibroacoustic models in this frequency region. The extension of statistical methods towards the low frequencies has to be evaluated, especially regarding time responses of impact noise on floor systems. For full-scale building, Virtual SEA method will be used as well as analytic SEA approach in frequencies low enough in order to optimize the overlap to FEM.