Factors affecting the sound insulation in the prefabricated buildings

The sound insulation in buildings is affected by many factors related to various sound transmission paths between rooms. Among them the following paths can be distinguished: the so called direct path dependent on the sound insulation of the partition between rooms, the structural flanking transmission paths and additional airborne paths due to sound transmission though leaks and ducts linking the rooms (e.g. ventilation ducts). The paper analyzes the influence of these factors on sound insulation in multifamily, prefabricates buildings. Laboratory and field measurement results made by ITB’s Acoustic Department in the period of 1975-85 are presented.