Quote:
Originally Posted by mhays
Slab on metal deck is pretty thin...I've heard that makes it far less effective for limiting sound transmission.
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Yep, that's definitely true. Though reinforced concrete floors aren't that thick themselves (4-6 inches, typical), they are still somewhat thicker than slab on deck (2.5+ inch top cover).
With that said, there are acoustical treatments that can be added to reduce sound afterwards. It comes down to whether the developer or tenant(s) is willing to pay for these treatments. Sound reduction engineering comes down to the following:
- measuring to determine the most common frequencies and their respective amplitudes (sound intensity)
- designing acoustical treatments to block those common frequencies
- determining if any materials resonate at a common frequency, then dampening or de-coupling that material
It's a tricky science because one material that blocks one set/range of frequencies might not block another. So you need to mix and match materials. Heavier materials are inherently better at sound reduction, but they are no good if they resonate at a frequency that occurs commonly in the building.