Prediction of impact sound insulation of light weight
floors
Extension of materials to sandwich panels such as
Kingspan, Paroc etc.
Improved prediction of trapezoidal metal sheets
Prediction of effect of porous blankets and facings
Built in Editor for impact sound improvement of floor
coverings
The displayed colour of materials can be specified in the
materials file
The users own logo can be displayed on printouts
More materials now available
New Z Girt frame type
Compatible with Windows 7 (including 64 bit)
INSUL is a
program for predicting the sound insulation of walls, floors, ceilings and windows. It is
based on simple theoretical models that only require easily obtainable construction
information. The program can makereasonableestimatesofthe Transmission Loss (TL) and Weighted Sound Reduction
Index (STC) for use in noise transfer calculations.
Test data can be entered to permit easy comparison
with predictions. INSULtakes account of finite size effects,
which are very important when predicting small samples such as windows and also for normal
elements at low frequencies.
Like any prediction tool INSULis not a
substitute for measurement.However,
comparisons with test data indicate that INSULreliably
predicts STC values to within 3dB for most constructions.
Screen Display: Staggered Wall Construction
Screen Display: Ceiling Construction
INSUL can be used to quickly evaluate new materials and systems, or
to investigate the effects of changes to existing designs.It models materials using the simple mass law and coincidence frequency approach
and models more complex partitions using work by Sharp, Cremer and others.It can predict the effect of installing an
acoustic blanket in the stud cavity.It has
evolved over several versions into a very easy to use tool that takes advantage of the
Windows™ environment, and has been refined by continued comparison with laboratory
tests to provide acceptable accuracy for a wide range of constructions.
INSUL will
greatly enhance the ability of acoustic consultants and product manufacturers to quickly
and confidently specify constructions in order to achieve a desired airborne sound
insulation
Leakage Calculation
Composite Transmission Loss Calculation
INSUL includes the ability to predict the effect of leakage. This is
especially useful for predicting the sound insulation of doors and windows
which are notoriously difficult to seal perfectly. INSULuses the theory
published by Gomperts (The Sound Transmission of Circular and Slit Shaped
Apertures in Walls (Gomperts and Kihlman 1967 Acustica Vol 18)) to firstly
predict the transmission loss of thin slits and then the combined
transmission loss of the slit and the partition.
A composite transmission
loss calculator allows to compute the total Transmission Loss for a
composite Wall Assembly. This software feature can either use INSUL
data or the user can enter own data. The calculation works with either 1/3
or 1/1 Octave data.
Prediction of Rain Noise
Calculation from Outdoor
to Indoor Transmission
INSUL predicts rain noise according to ISO 140-18.
Features:
• Prediction for light weight & heavy roof construction
• ISO 140-18 simulated rain or natural rainfall
• Predictions for corrugated and ribbed roof panels
• Predictions for single roof panels or roof panels with
a ceiling beneath
• Predictions of sound pressure level, sound intensity
level and sound power level, with results given in
third octave bands, octave bands, dBA, NC & PNC
INSUL
calculates the noise
level inside a room due to outdoor noise.
Calculations are based on EN 12354/3. The prediction accounts for the sound
transmission loss (STL) of the building façade, the size of the room and its
acoustical characteristics. Up to five different elements (e.g door, wall,
window, roof, floor) can be included. STL data can come from INSUL
or be
manually entered from other data.
Several standard outdoor noise spectra are available (e.g. traffic noise,
aircraft noise, entertainment noise, voice). INSUL
can be used to design the
optimum façade element to match the design requirements.
Prediction of Impact Sound for light weight floors
Sound Insulation of
Sandwich Panels
INSUL can now
predict the impact sound insulation of light weight floors.
Impact sound insulation predictions can now be carried out for different
joist constructions including timber joists and ZGirts. The prediction
routines are sensitive to the dimensions of the joists, their mass and
spacing and all of these variables can be set independently in INSUL.
A range of floor linings is available including plywood, particle board,
orientated strand board (OSB) and thin timber floor boards.
As with previous versions of INSUL,
ceilings can also be included in the predictions, with a range of ceiling
connections including directing fixing to the joists, rubber isolation clips
and separate ceiling joists. INSUL also
includes the option to add infill material in the cavity of the
construction.
INSUL
can now predict the sound insulation of a variety of light weight
sandwich panels. A typical example would be panels with thin steel or
aluminium skins, with a polystyrene or mineral wool core. For instance
panels from Kingspan or Paroc. The sound insulation both of single panels
and panels used in more complex constructions can be predicted. The
properites of the core can be adjusted using the in built materials
properties editor.
In addition sandwich panels with much stiffer cores can also be predicted, a
typical example would be a panel with steel facings and a light weight
aerated concrete (Speedwall)
Trapezoidal Profiled Metal Panels
Porous Blankets and
Facings
INSULhas improved the
prediction of profiled metal panels, typically used for commercial and
industrial buildings. Previously only single panels could be predicted, and
not complex constructions using corrugated or profiled panels. New routines
based on the work of Lam and Windle in England allow more accurate
prediction of particular profiles, and of constructions using profiled
panels in conjunction with flat sheets and in cavity constructions as well.
For instance the effect of a layer of plywood underneath a profiled steel
skin can be predicted. Then this can be extended by adding an air gap and a
second lining, with or without an acoustic blanket in the cavity.
INSUL
can now predict the sound transmission loss of porous blankets either
alone or as a facing for a construction. Typical constructions would include
modular panels for acoustic enclosures that have a steel skin with a mineral
wool infill and perforated steel internal facing.
