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Description
This research is focused on improving the acoustic performance of steel-studded double-leafed partition walls. The effects of the different components of the wall and their contribution to the system as a whole are investigated with a specific focus on the steel stud. Steel studs in walls have largely come to replace wooden studs. The design of steel studs minimises raw material cost while maximising structural strength. Steel studs are usually very thin (<1.0 mm) and composed of a flange and web system and have more complex modal behaviour compared to wooden studs. Replacing wooden studs with steel studs has a complex effect on the Rw transmission loss profile low frequencies (<500 Hz) where the steel stud components introduce modal effects resulting in overall decrease of the sound transmission efficiency. In this study the analysis of wall acoustic performance is conducted with help of numerical solutions and experimental verification. Improvements in the stud-wall system are proposed to maintain high sound transmission loss and structural strength.