The Design and Construction of an Acoustic Testing Laboratory Using Lightweight Materials

LINTRODUCTIONPlasterboard based building systems are constantly being developed and improved to the point whereby most systems only have a ve year life cycle between rst testing and re-testing.Accurate and separate testing for sound insulation is only one criterion which has to be considered when changes are being made to a particular assembly of partition components such as metal studs.types of cavity insulation, board combinations, degree of separation and height requirements.Included in this re-testing regime.it is necessary to consider the effect on re resistance.structural strength, cost and case of assembly.The same factors also effect the design and re-testing of new ooring systems, suspended ceilings and wall linings.Until 1993.all acoustic testing carried out for Lafarge Plasterboard Ltd was conducted in outside' consultants Laboratories namely AIRO [I], Salford University [2].SRL [3], and the BBC Research Centre [4].Altogether about 300 tests took place.over a four year period.The results of these tests are contained in the "Drywall Manua|'[5].