Development of a Prediction Model for Indoor Rolling Noise

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel prediction model for indoor rolling noise in multi-story buildings, accounting for physical factors like wheel and floor properties, to aid in designing quieter flooring systems.

Contribution

The work develops the first comprehensive indoor rolling noise model that considers physical and material factors, filling a gap in existing impact and outdoor noise models.

Findings

Model accurately predicts indoor rolling noise levels.

Model helps evaluate flooring system responses to rolling excitation.

Potential to improve building acoustics design.

Abstract

This work presents a prediction model for rolling noise in multi-story buildings, such as that generated by a rolling delivery trolley. Until now, mechanical excitation in multi-story buildings has been limited to impact sources such as the tapping machine. Rolling noise models have been limited to outdoor sources such as trains and automotive vehicles. The model presented here is able to represent the physical phenomena unique to indoor rolling noise, taking into account influencing factors such as the roughness of the wheel and the floor, the material and geometric properties of the wheel and the floor, the rolling velocity of the trolley, and the load on the trolley. The model may be used as a tool to investigate how different flooring systems (including multi-layer systems) respond to rolling excitation, for the purpose of developing multi-story building solutions which are better equipped to combat this kind of noise source.