Laboratory testing of different window design cases for noise transmission

Abstract

We investigated the effect of different window designs employed in Abu Dhabi Emirate- UAE on the level of noise transmission. For that, 21 window cases were tested in the laboratory. Several factors were considered, including window glass thickness, glazing, lamination, opening style, area, frame type, frame style, and use of shutters. Results showed that sound transmission loss is improved significantly with the use of shutters and the use of hinged, not sliding, windows. The instalment of glass thicker than 6 mm did not cause any improvement. As for the double glazed windows, no noticeable improvement was detected with an air gap of 12 mm or less, but increasing the air gap to 20 mm causes a moderate improvement. Slight improvement was found when a lamination layer or uPVC frame (instead of aluminum) was used. It was further found that box umbrella and curtain wall frames did not seal as well as half umbrella frames, and thus resulted in a lower acoustic performance of the windows.