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C. Theocharis, E. Kainmüller, J. Lechleitner, U. Pont, A. Mahdavi:
"Improving the Impact Sound Insulation of an Existing and Refurbished Wooden Beam Floor Construction";
Talk: ENVIBUILD 2016 - Buildings and Environment - Energy Performance, Smart Materials and Buildings, Brno, Czech Republic; 2016-09-22 - 2016-09-23; in: "Buildings and Environment - Energy Performance, Smart Materials and Buildings", M. Kalousek et al. (ed.); Eigenverlag mit wissenschaftlichem Lektorar / Peer Review, Envibuild, (2016), 10 pages.

A common source of dissatisfaction in buildings pertains to acoustical issues. Specifically, in existing buildings, exposure to impact noise represents a frequent problem. In Central Europe generally, and in Vienna (Austria) specifically, there is a significant number of existing buildings with floor constructions involving wooden beams as structural elements. Given the steady rise in inhabitants' expectations regarding buildings' acoustical quality, such existing floor constructions do not sufficiently provide the sufficient impact noise insulation. In many instances, the replacement of these floor constructions with concrete slabs is not an option, given a number of structural, financial, and legal (conservation related) obstacles and constraints. The present contribution thus explores the acoustical improvement potential of floor constructions with wooden beams by using modern materials and techniques. Toward this end, a typical 19th century building in Vienna downtown was selected. Multiple improvement options were realized. These involved the deployment of a honey-comb acoustic system, installation of stiffeners bolted to the original wooden beams, as well as an additional structurally decoupled ceiling layer. The impact sound was measured at different stages of retrofit and compared with the performance of the original construction.

(no german version) A common source of dissatisfaction in buildings pertains to acoustical issues. Specifically, in existing buildings, exposure to impact noise represents a frequent problem. In Central Europe generally, and in Vienna (Austria) specifically, there is a significant number of existing buildings with floor constructions involving wooden beams as structural elements. Given the steady rise in inhabitants' expectations regarding buildings' acoustical quality, such existing floor constructions do not sufficiently provide the sufficient impact noise insulation. In many instances, the replacement of these floor constructions with concrete slabs is not an option, given a number of structural, financial, and legal (conservation related) obstacles and constraints. The present contribution thus explores the acoustical improvement potential of floor constructions with wooden beams by using modern materials and techniques. Toward this end, a typical 19th century building in Vienna downtown was selected. Multiple improvement options were realized. These involved the deployment of a honey-comb acoustic system, installation of stiffeners bolted to the original wooden beams, as well as an additional structurally decoupled ceiling layer. The impact sound was measured at different stages of retrofit and compared with the performance of the original construction.

impact sound insulation, impact sound pressure level, renovation, refurbished, wooden beam floor, building acoustics, "Gründerzeit" buildings