Acoustic performance improvement for social interest dwelling internal wall using numerical simulation

Abstract New housing projects aim to meet at least the minimum levels established by the Brazilian standard for residential buildings performance, NBR 15575:2013. However, it is not uncommon to find buildings that fail to meet its criteria. This paper presents a case study consisting of the acoustic modelling of a dwelling in a social housing project, with the aim of finding a better solution for the building’s vertical internal walls. Measurements were performed inside the dwelling and a numerical model was generated using the ray tracing method. The model was calibrated by experimental D nT,w (weighted standardized level difference) and used to perform numerical simulations of various configurations. Finally, the results of the solution configurations are discussed with regards to their acoustic performance.