ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at predicting and interpreting features that describe the airborne and impact sound insulation of various building elements. Splitting up a building into its component parts is a convenient way to approach calculation of the sound insulation; it also suits the way that designers and manufacturers approach the design of a building. It is important to note that Statistical energy analysis provides a framework for the analysis of complex systems; the classical theories of sound and vibration transmission can be, and usually are, incorporated within this framework. It already looks at non-resonant transmission across an infinite plate acting as a limp mass. At frequencies well-below the lower critical frequency and well-below any mass-spring-mass resonance, a rough estimate for the non-resonant transmission can be found by assuming that the closely connected plates act as a solid plate with the combined mass per unit area of the individual plates.
