A Subjective and Objective Assessment of Sound Insulation in Newly Converted Dwellings

The results are presented of a programme of measurement and analysis concerning the physical performance and subjective assessment of a range of sound insulating techniques commonly used in housing conversions.
The work is underpinned by:
1. A comprehensive review of sound insulation prediction models which are used for comparison with field measurements,
2. A critical discussion of the measurement techniques and criteria used, and
3. A full account of legislative matters concerning sound insulation of relevance to those concerned with minimising disturbance due to noise intrusion.
The field measurements are used to compare five general classes of sound insulation, drawing data from 224 self-contained dwellings. They provide statistical information on those factors which affect performance such as ceiling drop, surface density, fibre infill and floor covering.
Details are given of a complimentary subjective survey of performance based on a questionnaire. A comparison of the results with field measurements shows that there is only a small correlation between them and that such subjective assessment cannot be used as a substitute for direct measurement.
The work concludes with the construction details of the insulation techniques examined and a review of their performance comparing such factors as ease of installation, disturbance to the household and cost.