Calculating the equivalent elastic moduli and their influence on modelling the sound insulation of softwood cross laminated timber (CLT)

Abstract

There are characteristics unique to natural materials such as timber that must be dealt with carefully to develop successful sound insulation prediction models. Timber has low internal losses typical of low-density building materials but with material properties that vary according to growth conditions. To study these factors in cross laminated timber (CLT) products, orthotropic thin plate and isotropic thick plate models are investigated. Equivalent elastic moduli are obtained using two methods from values and limits provided in the timber standards and literature, or by the manufacturer. The equivalent moduli are used to calculate the sound insulation of three- and five-layer CLT plates. Appropriate upper and lower limits are calculated from the combined material parameters and compared with sound insulation results measured in accredited laboratories for the first time. EN ISO 10140 test standards require that surface density of the sample be documented in the laboratory; additional precision information such as the fifth percentile of the material density is not required. However, considering the limits on the internal loss factors and elastic moduli only in the thin plate sound insulation model, gives a poor overall prediction performance (23.6% within the upper and lower limits). In this paper we combine the limits on elastic moduli, internal loss factors, and density. With these combined parameters the prediction is improved; less than half of the measured sound insulation values fall within the upper and lower limits of a typical thin plate model (44.0%). The single figure sound reduction index values are underestimated in seven out of nine cases. The prediction is further improved when a thick plate model is considered. There are several layers of complexity in the measurement and modelling conditions that must be carefully considered. The contributions from these compounding factors are discussed, and additional moduli and density parameters are proposed for inclusion in the literature and standards.