Numerical optimization of the airborne sound insulation of single and double walls (AcOpt)

Many people are affected by noise coming from traffic, industrial and construction activities or neighbors, resulting in activity disturbance, social tensions and health problems. An important way of protecting people from noise is by ensuring a sufficient sound insulation of building walls. In many common wall systems, there is much freedom in the design of wall components that are known to have an important influence on the overall sound insulation of the wall. However, at present it is unclear how acoustically optimal wall designs that are feasible in practice can be obtained.

A methodology for this is to be developed in the present project. This will require fundamental developments in vibro-acoustic modeling, topology optimization, shape optimization, robust optimization, and combinations thereof. As showcases, the perforation topologies in hollow bricks and metal studs as well as the cross-sectional shape of metal studs yielding optimal sound insulation of masonry walls, double plasterboard walls and masonry walls with plasterboard linings will be determined. Constraints on weight, structural performance and perforation length scales will be incorporated, ensuring practical feasibility of the optimal designs. Variations from the nominal solution will be accounted for during the optimization process, ensuring robustness of the optimal designs.