Acoustic analysis of sound transmission in a mixed-use development using Statistical Energy Analysis

Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) is an energy-based method used to estimate the vibro-acoustic response of complex structures by analysing the energy exchange between subsystems. It is widely applied in a variety of industries due to its relative simplicity, reliability and low computational cost. This paper presents research into the suitability of SEA as a design aid in the construction process of developments containing noise-sensitive spaces. The focus is on the challenging case of sound transmission between non-adjacent spaces. SEA-based models are developed for this study with the aid of a commercial software package. The models provide predictions of the structure-borne flanking sound transmission between cinema auditoria and residential apartments within a mixed-use development. Input data obtained from drawings and final construction details are used to inform the models which are then validated using measured data from a series of airborne sound insulation measurements. An iterative approach is adopted to fine-tune the prediction performance of the models developed. The performance is also evaluated for varying number of building elements and connections. For this case study, it was found that SEA-based technique can serve as a valuable design aid in the early stages of acoustic design process, particularly in the challenging cases of non-adjacent spaces. However, inherent limitations and uncertainties should be considered.