Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Sound transmission through hollow brick walls

Fringuellino, M; Smith, Sean

Authors

M Fringuellino

Sean Smith



Abstract

Hollow bricks and blocks are one of the most common forms of material used for wall construction found in Central and Southern Europe. The principle purpose of the perforations (holes) is to increase the thermal insulation properties. As a result of these perforations the block gross density is reduced significantly and these block walls have high anisotropy. Consequently, the acoustical insulation properties are influenced detrimentally in comparison to solid blocks. Due to the large thickness of some of these types of hollow block thick wall effects can occur such as bending shear waves and thickness resonances. These further reduce the sound insulation at high frequencies. This paper describes the characteristic features of sound transmission through hollow walls. For this study several different types of wall were built of varying thickness and materials and the sound reduction index was recorded. The effects of additional plaster layers is also discussed. It is suggested that the material properties of the block's complex web structure may strongly influence the sound reduction index at the low and high frequencies.

Citation

Fringuellino, M., & Smith, S. (1999). Sound transmission through hollow brick walls. Building Acoustics, 6(3), 211-224. https://doi.org/10.1260/1351010991501419

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 1999-09
Deposit Date Nov 30, 2011
Journal Building Acoustics
Print ISSN 1351-010X
Publisher Multi-Science Publishing
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 6
Issue 3
Pages 211-224
DOI https://doi.org/10.1260/1351010991501419
Keywords hollow bricks; sound insulation; thermal insulation; sound transmission;
Public URL http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/4793
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1260/1351010991501419