ASTM E2179-21

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Designation: E2179 − 03 (Reapproved 2016) E2179 − 21
Standard Test Method for
Laboratory Measurement of the Effectiveness of Floor
Coverings in Reducing Impact Sound Transmission
Through Concrete Floors
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2179; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
This test method is part of a set for evaluating the sound-insulating properties of building elements.
It is designed to measure the reduction in transmission of impact sound due to a floor covering in a
laboratory. Others in the set include the measurement of sound isolation in buildings (Test Method
E336), the laboratory methods of measuring airborne sound transmisssiontransmission loss of building
partitions such as walls, floor-ceiling assemblies, doors, and other space-dividing elements (Test
Method E90); the laboratory measurement of impact sound transmission through floors (Test Method
E492), the measurement of impact sound transmission in buildings (Test Method E1007), the
measurement of sound transmission through building facades and facade elements (Guide E966), and
the measurement of sound transmission through a common plenum between two rooms (Test Method
E1414).
1. Scope
1.1 This test method describes a method for the laboratory measurement of the effectiveness of floor coverings in reducing impact
noise from a standard tapping machine through concrete floors. The test results are not necessarily directly related to the subjective
evaluations of the floor coverings.
1.2 This test method applies to all floor coverings, whether single or multi-layered, as installed on a standard concrete floor.
Multi-layered coverings may be factory-assembled or assembled at the test laboratory.
1.3 The test method applies only to laboratory measurements. It does not apply to the measurement of the effectiveness of a floor
covering in a field situation.
1.4 Laboratory Accreditation—A procedure for accrediting a laboratory for performing this test method is given in Method E492.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E33 on Building and Environmental Acoustics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E33.10
on Structural Acoustics and Vibration.
Current edition approved April 1, 2016May 1, 2021. Published April 2016June 2021. Originally approved in 2001. Last previous edition approved in 20092016 as E2179
– 03 (2009).(2016). DOI: 10.1520/E2179-03R16.10.1520/E2179-21.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E2179 − 21
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
C634 Terminology Relating to Building and Environmental Acoustics
E90 Test Method for Laboratory Measurement of Airborne Sound Transmission Loss of Building Partitions and Elements
E336 Test Method for Measurement of Airborne Sound Attenuation between Rooms in Buildings
E492 Test Method for Laboratory Measurement of Impact Sound Transmission Through Floor-Ceiling Assemblies Using the
Tapping Machine
E966 Guide for Field Measurements of Airborne Sound Attenuation of Building Facades and Facade Elements
E989 Classification for Determination of Single-Number Metrics for Impact Noise
E1007 Test Method for Field Measurement of Tapping Machine Impact Sound Transmission Through Floor-Ceiling Assemblies
and Associated Support Structures
E1414 Test Method for Airborne Sound Attenuation Between Rooms Sharing a Common Ceiling Plenum
2.2 ANSI Standards:
S1.6 Standard Preferred Frequencies, Frequency Levels, and Band Numbers for Acoustical Measurements
S1.10 Pressure Calibration of Laboratory Standard Pressure Microphones
S1.11 Specification for Octave-band and Fractional-Octave-Band Analog and Digital Filters
2.3 ISO Standards:
ISO 717-2 Rating of Sound Insulation in Buildings and of Building Elements—Part 2: Impact Sound Insulation
ISO 140-6 Acoustics—Measurement of Sound Insulation in Buildings and of Building Elements—Part 6: Laboratory
Measurements of Impact Sound Insulation of Floors
ISO 140-8 Acoustics10140-1 Acoustics—Laboratory Measurement of Sound Insulation in Buildings and of Building
Elements—Part 8: Laboratory Measurements of the Reduction of Transmitted Impact Noise by Floor Coverings on a
Heavyweight Floor1 (Annex H): Floor coverings – Improvement of impact sound insulation
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of the acoustical terms used in this test method are given in Terminology C634.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.2.1 floor covering—any resilient material, combination of resilient materials or combination of resilient material and rigid
materials used to provide a finished walking surface on a floor. This includes all materials between the upper walking surface and
the base concrete slab.
3.2.2 reference concrete floor—a hypothetical concrete floor used to calculate changes in impact insulation class (Δ(ΔIIC).IIC).
3.2.3 standard concrete floor—the actual concrete floor satisfying the provisions of this method used in the measurements.
4. Summary of Test Method
4.1 Two vertically adjacent rooms are used: the upper one being designated the source room and the lower one the receiving room.
A standard concrete floor is installed in an opening between them. The rooms and the floor installation are designed so the only
significant sound radiation into the receiving room is from the standard concrete floor.
4.2 A standard tapping machine is installed and activated on the standard concrete floor and the normalized impact sound pressure
levels are measured in the room below. The floor covering to be evaluated is then installed on the standard concrete floor and the
normalized impact sound pressure levels measured again.
4.3 The differences in normalized impact sound pressure level are subtracted from the levels defined for a reference concrete floor
and an IIC rating is calculated for the resultant array. This is the IIC that the covering would produce in combination with the
reference concrete floor. The second rating, ΔIIC, is obtained by subtracting 28 from the first (28 is the IIC for the reference
concrete floor). This gives the improvement in IIC that the covering would produce on the reference concrete floor.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
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5. Significance and Use
5.1 The impact sound rating for a floor assembly is determined both by the basic floor assembly and the floor covering on the upper
surface. The same floor covering in combination with different basic floor assemblies will not always give the same impact
insulation class (IIC) ratings. This test method is designed to provide data that characterize the floor covering alone when installed
over concrete slab floors.
5.2 The ΔΔIICIIC rating calculated in 13.4 is used to compare the effectiveness of different floor coverings on concrete floors.
5.3 The impact insulation class (IIC) calculated for the reference concrete floor with a covering provides an indication of the
impact sound insulation that the covering will provide with typical, monolithic concrete floors.
5.4 When the normalized impact sound pressure levels below a bare concrete slab are known, the difference spectrum calculated
in 13.1 may be used to estimate the impact sound pressure levels and hence the IIC that would result if the covering were installed
on the slab.
5.5 Warning: Difference spectra measured using this method shall not be used to estimate impact sound pressure levels for floors
comprising only one or two lightweight floor layers such as oriented strandboard strand board or plywood. Such estimated impact
sound pressure levels would be very inaccurate.
NOTE 1—The difference spectrum calculated in 13.1 gives unreliable estimates of the reduction in impact sound pressure levels due to the floor covering
when it is placed on a joist floor incorporating a concrete topping (about 50 mm thick) poured directly on the plywood subfloor or steel deck. The
estimated impact sound pressure levels are too low.
5.6 This test method closely follows that described in ISO 140-8 10140-1 (Annex H) except that the single number rating used
is the impact insulation class (IIC) described in Classification E989. The description of the standard concrete floor also differs.
NOTE 2—The requirement in Classification E989 that no deviation above the reference contour may exceed 8 dB means that there is no simple relationship
between ISO 140-8 10140-1 (Annex H) test ratings and those generated by this method.
6. Test Rooms
6.1 The test rooms shall satisfy the requirements given in Method E492.
7. Standard Concrete Floor
7.1 The standard concrete floor on which the test coverings are to be installed shall consist of a reinforced concrete slab or slab
sections with a thickness of 150 6 50 mm. The slab or slabs shall be homogeneous and of uniform thickness.
NOTE 3—A thickness of 150 mm is preferred for new facilities.
7.2 The surface of the test floor shall be smooth and sufficiently hard to endure the impacts of the tapping machine. Any screed
applied to the surface of the test floor shall adhere solidly at all points so the screed does not chip, crack or become pulverized.
7.3 Inspect the surface of the slab frequently to assess surface damage. Repairs shall be made when the surface is no longer
smooth.
NOTE 4—Altering the position of the tapping machine slightly for each test will reduce wear on the standard slab and prolong the life of the surface.
8. Test Specimens
8.1 Classification of Test Specimens:
“Impact Sound Measurements on Floors Covered with Small Patches of Resilient Materials or Floating Assemblies,” A.C.C. Warnock. Internal Report IRC IR-802.
National Research Council Canada. January 2000.
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8.1.1 Category I (Small Specimens)—This category includes flexible coverings (plastics, rubber, cork, matting, carpet or
combinations thereof), which are installed loosely or by adhesion to the floor surface.
8.1.1.1 Use three samples, preferably from different production runs but from the same source. Each sample shall measure at least
1 × 0.5 m.
8.1.2 Category II—This category includes rigid, homogeneous surface materials or complex floor coverings of which at least one
constituent is rigid. When the area of the standard concrete floor is less than 10 m , the specimen shall cover the whole surface
of the standard concrete floor. When the area of the standard concrete floor is greater than 10 m , the specimen area need not exceed
10 m provided that the smallest dimension of the specimen is not less than 3 m.
8.1.3 Materials of Uncertain Classification—In the case of uncertainty as to the appropriate category for a material, the testing
laboratory shall decide whether small or large specimens will be tested. In any case the specimen shall be described in detail in
the test report.
8.2 Preparation and Installation of Test Specimens:
8.2.1 Adhesive Mounting—Install coverings to be mounted with adhesive with great care, normally with adhesive covering the
entire surface of the test specimen. If the adhesive is applied in isolated patches, describe the exact procedure in the report. Follow
strictly the manufacturer’s instructions for use of the adhesive, especially with regard to the amount and the bonding-time. Report
the type of adhesive and the bonding-time.
8.2.2 To avoid damage to the standard concrete slab and ease removal of specimens, it is acceptabl
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