ISO 10140-4-2021 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 10140-4:2021 — Acoustics — Laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building elements — Part 4: Measurement procedures and requirements. This part of ISO 10140 specifies the basic laboratory measurement procedures and requirements for determining airborne and impact sound insulation of building elements under controlled test-facility conditions.

Abstract

Specifies mandatory measurement procedures, test conditions and requirements for laboratory determination of airborne and impact sound insulation of building elements. Includes guidance on source and receiver room setup, instrumentation, microphone and source positions, measurement signals, background noise and reverberation time requirements, and the calculations needed to derive sound insulation quantities.

General information

• Status: Published.
• Publication date: April 2021 (effective mid‑April 2021).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 91.120.20 (Acoustics in building — Sound insulation).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2021).
• Number of pages: 12 (ISO published document length).

Scope

ISO 10140-4:2021 defines the measurement procedures and minimum requirements to be applied when performing laboratory measurements of airborne and impact sound insulation for building elements (walls, floors, ceilings, doors, windows, partitions, etc.). It covers test-room conditions, mounting and preparation of the test specimen, source and receiver arrangements, measurement signals and averaging procedures, limits on background noise and reverberation, and the calculation and reporting of results for subsequent rating or comparison.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and quantities for airborne and impact sound insulation measurements (e.g., sound pressure levels, reverberation time, transmission loss).
• Requirements for test-room and test‑specimen mounting, including reproducible boundary conditions and sealing.
• Instrumentation and calibration: sound sources, microphones, sound level meters and analyzer requirements.
• Source and microphone positions, measurement grid layout and averaging procedures across frequency bands.
• Limits on background noise and criteria for acceptable signal‑to‑noise ratios.
• Measurement of reverberation time and use of reverberation time in calculation of sound reduction indices.
• Procedures for data processing and calculation of indices used for reporting (raw spectra and derived single-number quantities where applicable).
• Minimum reporting requirements so laboratory results can be compared or used for product assessment and regulatory purposes.

Typical use and users

Used by acoustical testing laboratories, product manufacturers (doors, windows, partitions, floor systems), building acoustics consultants, certification bodies, regulatory authorities and researchers to produce repeatable, comparable laboratory measurements of sound insulation for product development, performance verification, compliance testing and acoustic ratings.

Related standards

ISO 10140-4 is part of the ISO 10140 series. Closely related parts and standards include ISO 10140-1 (application rules for specific products), ISO 10140-2 (measurement of airborne sound insulation), ISO 10140-3 (measurement of impact sound insulation) and ISO 10140-5 (requirements for test facilities and equipment). Results from ISO 10140 series tests are often used with ISO 717 (rating of sound insulation) for single-number ratings.

Keywords

acoustics; sound insulation; laboratory measurement; airborne sound; impact sound; test procedures; reverberation time; background noise; sound reduction index; ISO 10140.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 10140-4:2021 is an international standard that specifies measurement procedures and requirements for laboratory determination of airborne and impact sound insulation of building elements.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers test-room and specimen preparation, instrumentation and calibration, source and microphone positioning, measurement signals and averaging, limits on background noise and reverberation time, data processing and reporting rules needed to obtain repeatable laboratory sound insulation measurements.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Independent acoustical laboratories, manufacturers of building elements, acoustic consultants, test houses, certification bodies and regulators who need standardized laboratory test results for product evaluation, development and compliance.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 10140-4:2021 is the current published edition (supersedes ISO 10140-4:2010). Users should check for amendments or newer revisions from ISO or national bodies if required for compliance or procurement.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 10140-4 is part of the ISO 10140 series on laboratory measurement of sound insulation; other parts include ISO 10140-1, -2, -3 and -5 (application rules, airborne measurement, impact measurement and test-facility requirements respectively).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Acoustics, sound insulation, laboratory measurement, airborne sound, impact sound, sound reduction index, reverberation time, background noise, ISO 10140.