CONTROL OF INTERFERING NOISE ]]}] at a single number that would give a reasonably accurate indication of the sound transmission loss characteristics of a wall. This has been done in a procedure specified by the American Society for Test- ing and Materials in which the measured graph of a wall would be placed in a certain Sound Transmission Class (STC) by comparison to a reference graph (STC contour). The details of this procedure are beyond the scope of this book, but the results of such classification have heen applied ta walls af varions types ta he deserihed far ready: comparison. An STC rating of 50 dB for a wall would mean that it is better in insulating against sound than a wall of STC 40 dB. It is not proper to call STC ratings “averages” but the whole procedure is to escape the pitfalls of averaging dB transmission losses at various fre- quencies.* Comparison of Wall Structures Figure 8-4 gives the measured performance of a4 in concrete block wall as a sound barrier, It is interesting to note that plastering both sides increases the transmission loss of the wall from STC 4U to 48. Figure 8- 5 shows a considerable improvement in doubling the thickness of the conceele block wall. In this case the STC 45 is improved 11 4B by plas- tering both sides. In Fig, 8-6 is illustrated the very common 2 x4 frame construction with Yin gypsum board covering. The STC 94 without fiborglass between is improved only 2 dB by filling the cavity with fiberglass material, a meager improvement that would probably not jus- Lify the added cost. Figure 8-7 describes a very usefal and inexpensive type af wall of staggered stud construction. Here the inherently low coupling between the two independent wall diaphragms is further reduced by filling the space with fiberglass building material. Attaining the full SIC 52 rating would require careful construction to ensure that the two wall surfaces are truly independent and not “shorted out” by elec- trical conduits, outlet boxes, ete. The last wall structure to be described is the double wall construc- tion of Fig, 8-8. The two walls ate entirely separate, each having its own 2x4 plate. Without liberglass this wall is only 1 dB better than the staggered stud wall of Fig. 8-7 but by filling the inner space with building insulation, STC ratings up to 56 dB are possible.1] CHAPTER EIGHT Construction - 4" concrete block Weight -18Ib/sq ft (plain) 20 Tb/sq ft (plastered both sides) Sound transmission class~ TC 40 4B plain STC 48 dB plastered both sides Golite Corporation) [Las Four-inch concrete block construction. Ti was stated earlier that porns sonnd absorbing materials are of limited value in insulating against sound. This is true when nor- mal transmission loss is considered. but in structures as those in Figs. 8-7 and 8-8, such porous materials have @ new contribution to make in absorbing sound energy in the cavity. This can improve the transmission loss in some wall structures by as much as 15 dB, principally by reducing resonances in the space between the walls, while in others the effect is negligible. The low-density mineral fiber batts commonly used in building construction are as effective as the high-density boards, and they are much cheaper. Mineral fiber batts within a wall may also meet certain fire-blocking requirements in building codes.CONTROL OF INTERFERING NOISE Wd Construction -8" concrete block Weight 26 b/oq ft (plain) 67 Ib/sq ft (plastered both sides) Sound transmission clase STC 45 dB plain STC 56 dB plastered both sides Golite Corporation, and LECA, Norway) Eight-inch concrete block construction. The staggered stud wall and the double wall, on the basis of mass alone, would yield a transmission loss of only about 35 dB (Fig. 8-2). The isolation of the inner and the outer walls from each other and the use of insulation within have increased the wall effectiveness by 10 or 15 dB. Double Windows Between the control room and the udio a window is quite nec and its sound transmission loss should be comparable to that of the wall itself. A well-built staggered stud or double wall might have an STC of 50 dB. To approach this performance with a window requires very careful design and installation?