Acoustic test stand

Noise protection is of key importance for buildings as well as for all infrastructure projects. Noise protection can have a decisive influence on people's health and well-being. In order to reduce annoyance caused by unavoidable noise, suitable building designs and materials must be researched. Laboratory measurements are indispensable for this because the physical processes relevant in acoustics are highly non-linear and therefore experiments must always be carried out in addition to simulations, even in the foreseeable future. The equipment is subsidised by the DFG's large-scale equipment funding programme.

The need for an acoustic testing facility at the Technische Universität Kaiserslautern is justified by the current lack of research and testing facilities in the field of building acoustics in Rhineland-Palatinate.

Building acoustic

The research work focuses on scientific questions in order to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of building acoustics and to develop constructions that offer improved sound protection. At present, the work is concentrated on research in the area of structure-borne sound, e.g. caused by technical building systems. The aim is, on the one hand, to characterise sources of structure-borne sound in order to determine the introduced structure-borne sound power and, on the other hand, to predict the transmission of structure-borne sound in typical building structures in practice.

Room acoustic

Another focus is on research on room acoustics. The current focus here is on the development of methods and constructions for improving room acoustics in office and administrative buildings, both in atriums or (entrance) halls and in open-plan offices. The aim is to create room acoustics that are beneficial for use, which means a comfortable working environment for employees and enables high productivity for companies. Acoustic testing in conjunction with developments of materials and constructions to optimise the frequency-dependent sound absorption capacity is an essential focus of the research work here.

Acoustic verification procedures

Current issues in national and international standardisation work will be taken up in the future and scientifically investigated with the help of the acoustic test bench. Current topics focus on measurement and detection methods in the frequency range below 100 Hz as well as on a standardisation of the many existing characteristic quantities. The aim is to establish internationally uniform measurement and evaluation parameters to enable comparability of building materials and products. The requirements, on the other hand, are to be defined nationally to take account of different social conditions.

Noise pollution / noise protection

Protection against noise is of central importance for people's health and well-being. For this purpose, materials and constructions are being developed and tested in order to achieve an improvement in acoustic properties for use in noise barriers, for example.