Vibroacoustics in the planning process for timber constructions - modeling, numerical simulation, validation

Project background

In recent years, numerous studies have already been carried out at Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences on sound insulation in timber construction. For this purpose, the vibration behavior of modern timber ceiling systems in the range below 100 Hz, which is dominant for sound transmission in timber construction, was investigated in particular.

In the project, typical joints of modern timber construction systems are investigated in particular by measurement and calculation. The measured values are used to validate simulation models. The frequency range relevant to building acoustics is calculated using two different, complementary models. In the low-frequency range, FEM models from the Technical University of Munich are used. For the medium and higher frequency range, simulation models based on statistical energy analysis are being developed at Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences.

The findings should help to significantly improve the predictive reliability of sound insulation in timber construction at an early stage of the planning process and thus increase the competitiveness of timber construction compared to solid construction.

Project objective

The aim of the project is a planning process that closely links the numerical simulation and verification of vibroacoustic building properties to a comprehensive building information model (BIM). This enables the specialist planner to optimize the design of individual components, investigate their (vibration-related) coupling and the vibroacoustic properties of the entire building at an early planning stage.

In combination with the Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) method, the aim is to extend existing finite element methods with regard to the geometric-mechanical and vibroacoustically consistent coupling of components and to derive the volume-oriented overall model from the building information model.

Innovation

The challenge of the research focus at Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences is to calculate the propagation of structure-borne sound via standard construction joints and to reduce the variety of construction variants in modern timber construction to a few standard constructions with similar acoustic behavior.