Comparative tests

The Labein technology centre performed a series of comparative tests to confirm the good acoustic results of Akustik+Sylomer®. This centre is officially ENAC-certified and complies with the requirements of the ISO 140-1:1997 standard.

 

PURPOSE OF THE TEST

The purpose of the test is to compare, in equal conditions, the acoustic isolation to air-borne noise of a suspended ceiling without anti-vibration suspensions (direct transmission) to a suspended ceiling with the new Akustik+Sylomer® suspensions.

The secondary endpoint is to compare the Akustik+Sylomer® to another suspension with the same size-specific characteristics using high-resilience natural rubber from our Akustik 4 45 shore A standard series.

Antivibration calculations
 

TEST METHODOLOGY

The reports contain the results of the noise isolation test to airborne noise conducted according to the UNE-EN ISO 140-3 standard for a suspended ceiling with the following ceiling mounts:

  • Direct transmission (without anti-vibration suspensions).
  • Akustik 4 45 shore A.
  • Akustik 3+ Sylomer®30 Type B.

Besides these tests, the pink noise isolation index, R(A), was calculated, between 100 Hz at 5KHz, as the index specified by the basic building standard: NBE-CA 88 “Acoustic conditions”. The weighted noise reduction index (Rw) of the specimen, as well as the terms of adaptation to the C and Ctr spectrum, were obtained according to the UNE EN ISO 717-1 standard from the isolation curve.

 

COMPARATIVE RESULTS

COMPARATIVE RESULTS OF THE TEST BETWEEN A SUSPENDED CEILING WITH AND WITHOUT AKUSTIK+SYLOMER®.

Graphic 1 shows the isolation provided by a single plasterboard suspended with Akustik + Sylomer® suspensions and the same ceiling fitted with M6 rod. The blue line represents the isolation achieved with Akustik + Sylomer® mounts.

As can be seen, there are major differences at low and high frequencies, offering a difference of:

  • 3 dB at 125 Hz
  • 6 dB at 250 Hz
  • 5 dB at 500 Hz
  • 5 dB at 1000Hz
  • Antivibration calculations

    Akustik isolation curves

  • Antivibration calculations

    Akustik isolation curves

 

At the same time, comparative tests were conducted with ceilings with a greater number of plasterboards. Table 1 shows the results of the RW reduction index:

RW (C; Ctr) sound isolation indexWithout suspensions (M6 rod)With suspensions Akustik+Sylomer®
1 plasterboard71 (-4; -10) dB
(STC: 69)		75 (-4; -10) dB
(STC: 72)
2 plasterboards73 (-3; -9) dB
(STC: 72)		75 (-3; -8) dB
(STC: 74)
3 plasterboards74 (-3; -8) dB
(STC: 73)		77 (-3; -8) dB
(STC: 74)

It is clear that the use of Akustik+Sylomer® suspensions provides far greater airborne isolations, which in some cases are equivalent to or greater than the use of 2 or 3 plasterboards with anti-vibration ceiling mounts.

  • Antivibration calculations

    Gain in dB W thanks to the use of the Akustik+Sylomer® suspensions as opposed to a ceiling without elastic suspensions.

  • Antivibration calculations

    Gain in dB W thanks to the use of the Akustik+Sylomer® suspensions as opposed to a ceiling without elastic suspensions.

COMPARATIVE RESULTS OF THE TEST BETWEEN A SUSPENDED CEILING WITH AKUSTIK+SYLOMER VS RUBBER SUSPENSIONS.

Table 2 compares the RW sound isolation index according to the number of plasterboards.

The improvement is self-evident. the Akustik+sylomer® mounts offer a superior isolation to the rubber mounts. This difference is so great that it may be said that a ceiling with a plasterboard with Akustik+sylomer® offers the same isolation as a ceiling with two plasterboard rubber suspensions. This therefore means savings in time and material.

RW (C; Ctr) sound isolation indexWith Akustik+Sylomer® suspensionsWith rubber suspensions
1 plasterboard75 (-4; -10) dB (STC: 73)74 (-3; -9) dB (STC: 74)
2 plasterboards75 (-3; -8) dB (STC: 74)75 (-4; -10) dB (STC: 71)
3 plasterboards77 (-3; -8) dB (STC: 74)76 (-4; -10) dB (STC: 72)

The savings in plasterboard and labour costs make these mounts particularly interesting. both technically and economically.

In order to provide a better analysis of the differences between the rubber mounts and the akustik+sylomer® mounts. table 3 shows the isolation data at different frequencies.

Suspended ceiling with 1 plasterboard
FrequencyAkustik+Sylomer®Rubber
160 Hz.58,3 dB57,5 dB
250 Hz.68,4 dB66 dB
500 Hz.80,3 dB79,1 dB
 
Suspended ceiling with 2 plasterboards
FrequencyAkustik+Sylomer®Rubber
160 Hz.57 dB56,9 dB
250 Hz.70 dB68 dB
500 Hz.81,5 dB81,1 dB
 
Suspended ceiling with 3 plasterboards
FrequencyAkustik+Sylomer®Rubber
160 Hz.60,4 dB58,5 dB
250 Hz.69,4 dB67 dB
500 Hz.82,4 dB81,1 dB

The results of these tables show that the isolation differences are in the low frequency range. which is particularly interesting for the isolation of premises interesting for the isolation of premises particularly difficult to isolate.