Ecologically motivated approaches for improving low-frequency sound and vibration performance in multistory timber buildings

In order to use the potential of the natural resource wood for sustainable and resource-efficient buildings, timber constructions have to address various requirements, such as those from architecture, structural design and building physics. While most of the requirements for use can be met, the suboptimal sound transmission and vibration behavior in the low-frequency range is a weakness from an acoustic point of view. Conventional improvement measures consist of a large number of complex systems that result, for example, from the use of various materials in the form of mineral filling or additional concrete weights. The resulting combination of materials affects the environmental performance of the structures. In order to achieve the contemporary demand regarding the ecological quality of buildings, constructions have to be developed, planned and executed reasonably from both an acoustic and an ecological point of view, in addition to structural design. This paper presents integrative acoustic solutions, enabling wood-based constructions to be realized that reduce low-frequency impact sound transmission and improve the overall vibration behavior.