What Is Acoustics?
Building acoustics tests measure how much building elements reduce sound. IN THE LABORATORY (EN ISO 10140), the insulation of the element against airborne sound is determined under controlled conditions. IN THE FIELD (EN ISO 16283), sound insulation between walls, floor impact sound and facade insulation are measured in the real building. The results are reduced to odd values according to EN ISO 717.
Purpose of Acoustics
The aim is to show that the building element provides the declared sound insulation value and complies with the building's acoustic comfort regulations.
Which Products Is Acoustics Applied To?
- Partition wall systems
- Flooring and screed systems
- Window and facade elements
- doors
- Acoustic panels and suspension ceilings
In Which Sectors Is Acoustics Used?
Standards Related to Acoustics
- TS EN ISO 10140-1…-5 (measurement of sound insulation of building elements in the laboratory)
- TS EN ISO 16283-1/-2/-3 (field measurement of sound insulation in buildings)
- TS EN ISO 717-1 (evaluation of airborne sound insulation)
- TS EN ISO 717-2 (evaluation of impact sound insulation)
- TS EN ISO 354 (sound absorption in reverberation chamber)
- TS EN ISO 3382 series (room acoustics parameters)
Acoustics Conditions
- Laboratuvar
- A pair of isolated rooms with suppressed noise from side roads is required.
- Field measurement
- Side road crossings are included in the result; is lower than the laboratory value
- Frequency range
- Measurement in one-third octave bands defined in the standard
- Darbe sesi
- Produced with standard rammer machine
Equipment for Acoustics
- Isolated laboratory room pair
- Class 1 sound level meter and analyzer
- Dodecahedron audio source and power amplifier
- Standard rammer machine
- reverberation chamber
Sample Requirements for Acoustics
- In the laboratory experiment, the element is mounted in the test opening in real detail
- Installation detail, sealing and connection information should be provided
- Space dimensions and building details should be reported during field measurement.
- The element must be defined with thickness, layer structure and density information.
Duration of Acoustics
Laboratory measurement is performed shortly after sample assembly is completed; Installation and curing time determine the schedule. Field measurements take one or more days, depending on the number of venues.
Acoustics Procedure
- 1The element is mounted in the test opening or field locations are determined.
- 2A standard sound field is created in the source room.
- 3Sound pressure levels are measured in the source and receiver rooms.
- 4The reverberation time is measured in the receiving room.
- 5A mallet machine is used for impact sound.
- 6The results are reduced to odd values according to EN ISO 717.
Acoustics Acceptance Criteria
Required sound insulation values are defined by national building acoustics regulations and vary depending on the purpose of building use (residential, school, hospital). Product declaration is made based on laboratory value. Within the scope of (EU) 305/2011, the test result is not a pass/fail decision, but the performance value to be announced in the Declaration of Performance (DoP). The national regulations and project specifications of the country where the structure where the product will be used determine which performance level is sufficient.
Evaluation of Results
Laboratory and field values should not be confused: in the field, sound passes not only from the element itself, but also through side walls, flooring and installation spaces. Therefore, the field value is almost always below the laboratory value. Additionally, a small gap or lack of sealing significantly reduces the insulation.
Acoustics Report
- Element definition, layer structure and assembly detail
- Measurement type (laboratory/field) and standard
- Measurement results based on frequency band
- Odd-numbered evaluation results and spectrum adaptation terms
- Measurement uncertainty
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- Construction Products Regulation (EU) 305/2011
Construction Materials Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Acoustics test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Construction materials testing shows whether a product performs the function it takes on within the structure. A wide field is gathered in this family, from the compressive strength of concrete to the thermal transmittance of glass, from sieve analysis of aggregate to the watertightness of windows.
What sets this family apart from the others is that the result turns directly into a REGULATORY DECLARATION. For products covered by construction products legislation a declaration of performance (DoP) is mandatory, and every essential characteristic in the declaration rests on a test result. Reaction-to-fire class, thermal conductivity, compressive strength, water permeability and release of dangerous substances are declared in this way. The declaration is a legal text carrying the manufacturer's signature; the test record behind it is the first document requested in an inspection.
The second distinguishing feature is that the product is assessed over its SERVICE LIFE. An electronic device runs for five years; a building component stays in place for fifty and is exposed throughout that time to freeze-thaw cycles, UV, moisture, chemical attack and load. Durability tests (freeze-thaw, carbonation, alkali-silica reaction, ageing) therefore carry as much weight in this field as classical strength tests.
Tests are separated by material type and each group has its own set of standards: cement and concrete, aggregate, masonry units, wood-based panels, thermal insulation, glass and glazing units, ceramic tiles, floor coverings, screeds, joint fillers and coating systems. Where the product will be installed determines which set applies — the same panel is assessed against different standards on a wall and on a floor.
Factory production control (FPC) is a continuous component of the field. CE marking on a construction product is not obtained with a single test and then left; the manufacturer must set up a system showing that it monitors production consistency, takes samples regularly and intervenes when there is a deviation. Depending on the product group, this system may have to be audited by a notified body.
Site testing is a separate body of work. In the laboratory the product is approved; on site it is checked that the product really is of the declared class and that it has been applied correctly. Fresh concrete slump, cylinder sampling, aggregate sieve analysis and in-situ watertightness tests fall within this scope.
Method groups in this field
Concrete and cement
Slump, air content and unit weight in fresh concrete; compressive and flexural strength, water permeability and freeze-thaw resistance in hardened concrete. For cement, compressive strength, setting time and composition analysis.
Aggregate
Sieve analysis, particle shape, Los Angeles abrasion resistance, freeze-thaw, alkali reactivity and density/water absorption.
Thermal and energy performance
Thermal conductivity and thermal resistance, calculation of thermal transmittance (U value) in glazing units, solar energy transmittance.
Facade and joinery
Air permeability, watertightness and wind load resistance in windows and doors; fire performance in facade systems.
Fire performance
Reaction-to-fire classification and fire resistance tests; these are two separate concepts and are addressed by separate standards.
Masonry, tile and flooring
Compressive strength, water absorption, abrasion resistance, slip resistance, stain and chemical resistance.
Emissions and dangerous substances
Formaldehyde release from wood-based panels, VOC emissions from construction products, leaching behaviour of aggregates and waste.
Commonly confused in this field
- REACTION to fire and RESISTANCE to fire are different concepts: one describes the material's contribution to a fire, the other how long a component holds the fire back.
- A declaration of performance is not a certificate; it is the manufacturer's declaration. Notified body involvement varies with the product group and the assessment system.
- A test result is valid for the mounting arrangement in which the product was tested. A different substrate, a different thickness or a different joint detail may require reassessment.
- A site sample and a laboratory sample are not the same thing. A concrete cylinder taken on site also reflects application and curing conditions; it does not replace product approval.
- ASTM and EN construction standards measure similar quantities with different specimens and scales; the results cannot be converted one-to-one.
Which decisions these results support
- Declaration of performance (DoP) and CE marking
- Establishing and maintaining the factory production control system
- On-site conformity control of concrete, aggregate and workmanship
- Meeting fire and energy performance requirements
- Verifying the technical items in the project and tender specification
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Acoustics
Why can't we match the laboratory value in the field?
On-site bypasses come into play: sound travels through side walls, flooring, sockets and plumbing gaps, not the wall itself. These transitions are suppressed in the laboratory, not in the field.
Does the suspension ceiling increase sound insulation?
Only when constructed correctly. If the attic space is connected to adjacent rooms, sound travels this way and the insulation is lower than expected. Maintaining the partition wall up to the slab is often decisive.