Acoustic optimization of windows and doors through sound intensity measurements

ISO 140-5 defines the procedures to evaluate the sound insulation of façades obtaining the global value D2m,nT,w. Moreover, each component of the façade can be characterized in laboratory by means of its airborne sound insulation R using the methodology given by ISO 10140, and the weighted sound reduction index RW calculated using ISO 717-1. It is possible to deepen the analysis of the façade components behavior using sound maps obtained through sound intensity measurements. These are used to locate sound leakages and, in general, to have a clear view of the performance of the tested element sub-components. The paper, after a brief description of the method and the instruments used, presents the results of several campaigns executed on different moveable parts of a building’s envelope: windows, doors and minor components such as rolling shutter boxes. Thanks to the various case-studies presented, it is demonstrated how the sound intensity measurements – using P-P probes - could bring to not negligible improvements both on the design and the installation of the investigated components. Finally, a different technique for measuring sound intensity passing through a window is presented, using a P-U (Pressure - Velocity) probe.