Analysis of acoustic behavior of bare CLT floors for the evaluation of impact sound

insulation improvement
Antonino Di Bella, Nicola Granzotto, and Luca Barbaresi

Citation: Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 28, 015016 (2016);

View online: https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0000420
View Table of Contents: http://asa.scitation.org/toc/pma/28/1
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Volume 28 http://acousticalsociety.org/

22nd International Congress on Acoustics

Acoustics for the 21st Century
Buenos Aires, Argentina
05-09 September 2016

Architectural Acoustics: Paper ICA2016 - 255

Analysis of acoustic behavior of bare CLT floors

for the evaluation of impact sound insulation
improvement
Antonino Di Bella and Nicola Granzotto
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, PD, Italy; antonino.dibella@unipd.it;
nicola.granzotto@unipd.it

Luca Barbaresi
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Bologna, BO, Italy; luca.barbaresi@unibo.it

Estimation of the impact sound insulation of horizontal partitions, evaluated from the performance of
basic components according to EN 12354-2, does not provide satisfactory results when applied to floors
made of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) elements. One of the most interesting reasons for this limited
match between predicted and measured impact noise values is the difficulty of correlating the reduction of
the impact sound pressure level of the floor covering, measured in a laboratory on a concrete slab, with
the actual behavior on a bare CLT floor. Reported here are the results of laboratory evaluations,
independently carried out by various researchers on similar CLT structures. The purpose of this study is
to identify the empirical spectrum of the normalized impact sound pressure level of a reference floor
made according to CLT technology, to provide a simple and useful tool for estimating the noise insulation
performances of this type of building element.

Published by the Acoustical Society of America

© 2017 Acoustical Society of America [DOI: 10.1121/2.0000420]

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 1
A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

1. INTRODUCTION
In recent years, the growing diffusion of Cross-Laminated Timber structures (CLT) in the
building industry has been accompanied by extensive research on the peculiar characteristics of
this construction system, mainly concerning its life-cycle, structural design, resistance to seismic
actions, fire protection and energy efficiency.
From the viewpoint of noise protection, several studies have evaluated the acoustic
performances of CLT building elements.1,2,3 Focus then moved to the application of predictive
methods4,5 to buildings made according to the CLT construction system.6,7
Analysis of predictions of the acoustic performance of building elements may be carried out
in various ways: one is a numerical approach, based on the simplification of the vibrational
behavior of elements assumed to be homogeneous; another is experimental, based on reverse
analysis of a reliable data-set. In this work, the results of the latter method were applied to the
impact sound insulation of CLT floors.

2. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH FOR A PREDICTIVE

METHOD OF IMPACT SOUND INSULATION IN CLT
FLOORS
One of the main issues of reverse analysis is the availability of homogeneous data-sets from
reliable sources, obtained in controlled and reproducible conditions by standardized methods.
During independent research, carried out recently by the Universities of Padova and Bologna,
27 CLT floors were evaluated in the laboratory, with and without toppings, for impact noise and
airborne sound reduction according to the relative standards.8,9,10,11,12 Measurement results were
selected to compare only building elements made with the same type of CLT structure and with
floating floor systems previously analysed in the laboratory on a concrete slab to evaluate
improved impact sound insulation (ΔL).
The improvement seen in CLT floors was evaluated as the difference with respect to the bare
structure, since there is no reference floor for this type of building element,12 and then compared
with those of a reference concrete floor. The aim of this study was to define a reference impact
noise level spectrum for CLT floors, for laboratory evaluation of improved impact sound
insulation. In this way, results can be used for predictive purposes, as in the case of
homogeneous structures,5 starting from dynamic stiffness data and mass per unit area of floating
floors.

3. ACOUSTIC EVALUATION
A. Bare CLT floors
In order to obtain a reference impact noise level spectrum for bare CLT floors, several tests
were independently carried out in the laboratories of the University of Padova (Lab A) and that
of Bologna (Lab B). The CLT structures were alike in all their essential physical and technical
characteristics (5-ply, thickness 140 mm), but came from different manufacturers. Results were
compared with similar data reported in the literature13 on bare CLT floors (Lab C), but with
different thicknesses and, in one case, ply number.

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 2

A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

Table 1 shows the key features of these floors.

Table 1. Dimensional characteristics of bare CLT floors.

Lab. ID Thickness [mm] n-ply Floor size [cm] Mass per unit area [kg/m²]
A 140 5 320 x 460 70
B 140 5 277 x 440 70
C13 175 5 404 x 496 90
C13 245 7 404 x 496 130

Analysis of the measures clearly showed that the shape of the spectra of the normalized
impact sound pressure levels was substantially the same for all the bare CLT floors. A
normalized curve could therefore be derived, adapted as a function of the mass per unit area, to
provide a reference spectrum for such floors.

B. Evaluation procedure
The method applied to define a reference impact noise level spectrum for bare CLT floors is
shown below.
A number k = 4 of normalized impact sound pressure levels, Ln,k, obtained from four
measured floors in three laboratories complying with the ISO 10140 standards (Figure 1), were
analysed.

100

90

80

70
Ln [dB]

60

50
Ln Lab A CLT 140 mm
40
Ln Lab B CLT 140 mm
Ln Lab C CLT 175 mm
30
Ln Lab C CLT 245 mm
20
100

125

160

200

250

315

400

500

630

800

1000

1250

1600

2000

2500

3150

4000

5000

Frequency [Hz]
Figure 1. Measured levels of normalized impact sound pressure of bare CLT floors.

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 3

A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

Spectra normalized to 0 dB, X0, were obtained for each floor (Figure 2), by means of a
procedure similar to that of ISO 717-114 to find spectrum adaptation terms C and Ctr.
The following formula was used:

(1)

in which:
i is the one-third octave band frequency between 100 Hz and 5000 Hz;
k is the tested floor;
xk is the frequency-constant number, different for each floor, which can normalize the impact
sound level at 0 dB;
Ln,i,k is the level of the i-th normalized impact sound pressure level of the one-third octave band
frequency between 100 Hz and 5000 Hz of the k-th tested floor.

-5

-10

-15
X0 [dB]

-20

-25 X0 Lab A CLT 140 mm

X0 Lab B CLT 140 mm

-30
X0 Lab C CLT 175 mm

-35 X0 Lab C CLT 245 mm

-40
1000

1250

1600

2000

2500

3150

4000

5000
100

125

160

200

250

315

400

500

630

800

Frequency [Hz]
Figure 2. Impact sound pressure levels of four tested bare CLT floors normalized at 0 dB.

Once X0,i,k = Ln,i,k + xk − the normalized value of the spectrum of the i-th one-third octave
band from 100 Hz to 5000 Hz on the k-th floor − was set, the arithmetic mean value in 1/3 octave
bands from 100 Hz to 5000 Hz, , of the k spectra normalized with respect to k analysed
floors, was calculated.

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 4

A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

The normalized spectrum of the reference floor, , composed of five segments with
values in the third octave bands approximate to 0.5 dB, was calculated by interpolation of
optimal values (Figure 3).

-5

-10

-15
X0 [dB]

-20

-25

X0,i Best fit from measurements data

-30
X0,i Lab A&B proposal
-35
X0,i Derived from Lab C proposal
-40
1000

1250

1600

2000

2500

3150

4000

5000
100

125

160

200

250

315

400

500

630

800

Frequency [Hz]
Figure 3. Comparison between impact sound pressure levels of bare CLT floors normalized at 0 dB: best fit
from measurement data, proposal of Lab A&B (authors) and curve derived from proposal of Lab C
(literature).

For each k tested floor, the reference spectrum of the bare floor,15 Ln,t,r,0,i,k, was obtained by
shifting values by the quantity:

(2)

in which:
w, y [dB] and z [kg/m²] are constants to be obtained, equal for all k floors;
m′k is the mass per unit area of each k floor [kg/m²].
The normalized spectrum of reference floor was shifted according to the mass per unit
area of the floor [kg/m²] as:

(3)

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 5

A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

w, y and z were found, in order to have the minimum value of the sum of absolute differences
between the measured values and those of the reference curve, for all floors analysed:

(4)

The final reference spectrum of bare CLT floor, Ln,t,r,0, was then calculated. In the case of
data measured from differing thicknesses of the floor, a different curve was obtained as a
function of their mass per unit area (Figure 4). The value of L0,k is therefore as follows:

(5)

Starting from the above considerations, the following empirical “mass-law” valid for CLT
floors of 140- 275 mm thickness can be extrapolated:

(6)

100

90

80

70
Ln meas. Lab A CLT 140 mm
Ln [dB]

60
Ln meas. Lab B CLT 140 mm

50 Ln meas. Lab C CLT 175 mm

Ln meas. Lab C CLT 245 mm

40
Ln calc. Lab A&B CLT 140 mm

30 Ln calc. Lab C CLT 175 mm

Ln calc. Lab C CLT 245 mm

20
1000

1250

1600

2000

2500

3150

4000

5000
100

125

160

200

250

315

400

500

630

800

Frequency [Hz]

Figure 4. Comparison between calculated reference floors (Ln calc) and laboratory measurements (Ln Lab)
for bare CLT floors evaluated in Labs A, B and C.

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 6

A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

Table 2. Comparison between weighted normalized impact sound pressure levels of calculated reference
floors (Ln,w,eq) and laboratory measurements (Ln,w) for bare CLT floors evaluated in Labs A, B and C.

Lab. ID Mass per unit area of bare CLT floor [kg/m²] Ln,w Ln,w,eq
A 70 87 87
B 70 88 87
C 90 85 85
C 130 80 81

C. Adaptation of CLT reference curve for improved impact sound insulation

data obtained on a reference concrete floor
The reduced impact sound pressure levels obtained with two types of floating floors (“layer
1” and “layer 2”) were measured both in Lab B on a 14 cm thick standard concrete slab (CRT)
and on a CLT floor of the same thickness (Figure 5). As expected, the measured values of impact
sound insulation improvement of a floating floor on a standard concrete slab did not match those
calculated according to EN 12354-25 when the same floating floor system is applied to a CLT
floor.

80

70 ΔL1 (CLT) layer 1

ΔL2 (CLT) layer 2
60 ΔL1 (CRT) layer 1 [ISO 10140-3]
ΔL2 (CRT) layer 2 [ISO 10140-3]

50
ΔL [dB]

40

30

20

10

0
100

125

160

200

250

315

400

500

630

800

1000

1250

1600

2000

2500

3150

4000

5000

Frequency [Hz]

Figure 5. Comparison between ΔL measured on a CLT floor and on a standard concrete slab (CRT) for two
types of floating floor (“layer 1” and “layer 2”) composed of lightweight screed layer, resilient material, and
heavy upper screed layer.

These differences were compared by interpolating a second-degree polynomial function and

normalizing the average energy of the interpolating curves to 0 dB. By minimizing the sum of

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 7

A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

the absolute deviations from the floor level of attenuation of the measured values, a correction
curve to be applied to the ΔL curve obtained on the standard concrete slab could be defined
(Figure 6, Equation 7).

-10

-20

-30
ΔΔ0 [dB]

-40

-50

-60

-70

-80
1000

1250

1600

2000

2500

3150

4000

5000
100

125

160

200

250

315

400

500

630

800

Frequency [Hz]

Figure 6. Normalized correction spectrum ΔΔ0 to calculate contribution Δ0 to be applied to ΔL data

measured on a concrete floor to estimate improved impact sound insulation on a CLT floor (values at 4000
Hz and 5000 Hz extrapolated from measured value up to 3150 Hz).

This relation was optimized for floating floor systems with lightweight screed, resilient
materials with a dynamic stiffness value of 13-36 MN/m³, and an upper thick screed made with
sand and cement (density 1800-2000 kg/m³).
To obtain the correction to be applied to the improved data for the measured impact sound
insulation obtained on a standard concrete slab, the following equation can be used:

(7)

in which:
ΔΔ0 is the normalized correction spectrum [dB];
s' is dynamic stiffness of the resilient layer used [MN/m³].
The improvement in the impact noise level of a bare CLT structure with a floating floor,
tested according ISO 10140 on a standard concrete slab, can be easily obtained with the
following formula:

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 8

A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

(8)

Figure 7 shows the following comparison curves:

a) calculated normalized impact sound pressure levels, obtained as the difference
between measured impact sound pressure level on a CLT bare floor, Ln (CLT), and
the attenuation of two types of floating floors, tested according to ISO 10140 on a
standard concrete slab, ΔL (CRT);
b) the same values plus the proposed attenuation correction, Δ0;
c) the measured normalized impact sound pressure levels of the two CLT structures with
floating floors.

80

70

60

50
Ln [dB]

40

30 Calculated Ln1 (CLT) = Ln,0 (CLT) - ΔL1 (CRT)

Calculated Ln2 (CLT) = Ln,0 (CLT) - ΔL2 (CRT)
20 Calculated Ln1 (CLT) = Ln,0 (CLT) - [ΔL1 (CRT) + Δ0,1] (proposed)
Calculated Ln2 (CLT) = Ln,0 (CLT) - [ΔL2 (CRT) + Δ0,2] (proposed)
10 Measured Ln1 (CLT)
Measured Ln2 (CLT)
0
1000

1250

1600

2000

2500

3150

4000

5000
100

125

160

200

250

315

400

500

630

800

Frequency [Hz]
Figure 7. Comparison between measured and calculated impact sound pressure levels with improved data,
complying with EN 12354-2, and with the correction curve of Figure 6, for two types of floating floors
(“layer 1” and “layer 2”) composed of lightweight screed layer, resilient materials and heavy upper screed
layer.

4. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

In this paper, the impact noise levels of CLT bare floors were compared, the data in question
deriving from independent research in two laboratories.

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 9

A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

For the same structures, the improvement in impact sound insulation obtainable with
differing types of floating floors was measured on both CLT structures and reference concrete
slabs.
Applying an analytical method borrowed from the single number rating standard procedure,14
a reference curve to rate the impact sound insulation of CLT floors was obtained. This reference
curve is compatible with the procedure for evaluating weighted reduction impact sound pressure
levels of floor coverings on lightweight floors described in ISO 717-215 and referring to bare
structures according to ISO 10140-5.12 This curve is not currently present in any of the standards
and may be implemented, for future improvements in calculation methods.
An interesting aspect of the proposed CLT reference curve is that it can be adjusted
according to the mass per unit area of the bare structure and is suitable for CLT elements 140-
245 mm thick.
From the results of the comparison between the improved impact sound insulation on both
CLT and the concrete reference slab, we can derive a correlation allowing ΔL data from a heavy
bare homogeneous floor to be applied to a CLT structure.
The proposed reference curve for bare CLT floors proved to be effective for laboratory
evaluation of several types of floating floors with dynamic stiffness of the elastic layer of 13-36
MN/m³ and with upper screed layer of 115±5 kg/m² mass per unit area.

REFERENCES
1
Schoenwald, S.; Zeitler B.; Sabourin I.; King F. Sound insulation performance of Cross Laminated Timber
Building Systems. Proceedings of InterNoise 2013, Innsbruck, September 15-18, 2013. In CD-ROM.
2
Semprini, G.; Barbaresi, L. In situ acoustic performances of wood structural panels and evaluation of flanking
transmission. Proceedings of Internoise 2012, New York, 2012, pp. 7749-7756.
3
Di Bella, A.; Granzotto, N.; Ferro, A. Experimental analysis of sound insulation performances of wooden walls.
Proceedings of 35th AIA National Conference, Milan, June 11-13, 2008. In CD-ROM (in italian).
4
CEN, European Standard EN 12354-1: Building acoustics - Estimation of acoustic performance of buildings from
the performance of elements - Airborne sound insulation between rooms, Belgium, 2002.
5
CEN, European Standard EN 12354-2: Building acoustics - Estimation of acoustic performance of buildings from
the performance of elements - Impact sound insulation between rooms, Belgium, 2002.
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Schoenwald, S. Comparison of proposed methods to include lightweight framed structures in EN 12354 prediction
model. Proceedings of EuroNoise 2012, Prague, June 10-13, 2012. In CD-ROM.
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Pérez, M.; Fuente M. Acoustic design through predictive methods in Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panel
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ISO, International Standard ISO 10140-1: Acoustics - Laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building
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ISO, International Standard ISO 10140-3: Acoustics - Laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building
elements - Part 3: Measurement of impact sound insulation, Switzerland, 2010.
11
ISO, International Standard ISO 10140-4: Acoustics - Laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building
elements - Part 4: Measurement procedures and requirements, Switzerland, 2010.
12
ISO, International Standard ISO 10140-5: Acoustics - Laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building
elements - Part 5: Requirements for test facilities and equipment, Switzerland, 2010.
13
Zeitler, B.; Schoenwald, S.; Sabourin I. Direct impact sound insulation of cross laminate timber floors with and
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ISO, International Standard ISO 717-1: Acoustics - Rating of sound insulation in buildings and of building
elements - Part 1: Airborne sound insulation, Switzerland, 2013.

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 10

A. Di Bella et al. Acoustic behavior of bare cross laminated timber floors

15
ISO, International Standard ISO 717-2: Acoustics - Rating of sound insulation in buildings and of building
elements - Part 2: Impact sound insulation, Switzerland, 2013.

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Vol. 28, 015016 (2017) Page 11