Vibration transmission through plate/beam structures typical of lightweight buildings: Applicability and limitations of fundamental theories

This paper examines the modelling of vibration transmission through plate/beam structures typical of lightweight buildings. Key experiments have been carried out on simple structures to identify the applicability and limitations of fundamental theories. The systems tested included a single plate connected along its centre to a beam, two parallel plates attached along their centre to a beam (plates opposite or offset), and four plates connected along their edges to a beam. The analysis focused in particular on the applicability of modelling a beam as a one-dimensional element in point connected systems (widely spaced screws in terms of bending wavelength). Statistical energy analysis (SEA) was the framework of analysis used for all predictions, but the theories examined were independent from SEA. The results obtained indicate that simple point models are only applicable to the single plate and beam system, and to the parallel opposite plates connected along their centre to a beam; even then, the applicability of such models is limited to low and mid frequencies (below 2 kHz for the structures tested). Transmission between two parallel plates connected to a beam with screws closely spaced was also examined, and it was found that rigid and pinned line predictions can provide limits for transmission between panels on the same side of a wall (where junctions with shallow beams tend to behave rigidly, whilst junctions with deep beams are better modelled as pinned).