SIST EN ISO 15186-2:2010 PDF

Overview

EN ISO 15186-2:2010 (ISO 15186-2:2003) specifies a sound intensity method for field (in‑situ) measurements of sound insulation in buildings and of building elements. It covers measurement of walls, floors, doors, windows and small elements where flanking transmission is present and cannot be suppressed. The standard provides procedures to determine frequency‑dependent airborne sound insulation (which can be converted to a single‑number rating using ISO 717‑1) and to provide sound power data for diagnostic analysis.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Sound intensity method: Uses normal sound intensity measurements (vector energy flow per unit area) on measurement surfaces to derive apparent sound reduction indices.
• In‑situ (field) measurement procedures: Guidance on instrumentation, test arrangement, measurement surface averaging, test procedure, expression of results and required test reporting.
• Flanking transmission: Describes how flanking affects intensity measurements and how to identify, quantify and rank partial contributions from direct and flanking paths.
• Flanking sound reduction index: Procedures to measure sound reduction for one or more transmission paths to validate prediction models (e.g., EN 12354‑1).
• Precision and adaptation: Notes that reproducibility is comparable to or better than ISO 140‑10 / ISO 140‑4 for small and large elements respectively, and introduces an adaptation term (Annex A) when comparing with reverberation‑room methods.
• Annexes: Include adaptation term, estimated precision/bias, and detailed discussion of flanking transmission effects.

Practical applications

• Diagnostic on‑site testing to locate and quantify flanking paths affecting acoustic performance.
• Verifying in‑service sound insulation of partitions, floors, windows and doors where laboratory conditions cannot be reproduced.
• Providing sound power input for acoustic modelling and validation of prediction tools (EN 12354 series).
• Supplying field test results for compliance assessment, retrofit verification and product development when laboratory suppression of flanking is not possible.

Who uses this standard

• Acoustic consultants and building acousticians
• Accredited test laboratories performing on‑site measurements
• Building product manufacturers and façade/window specialists
• Building designers, specifiers and contractors concerned with in‑situ acoustic performance
• Regulatory and certification bodies validating sound insulation claims

Related standards

• ISO 15186‑1 (laboratory measurements)
• ISO 15186‑3 (laboratory low‑frequency measurements)
• ISO 140‑3, ISO 140‑4, ISO 140‑10 (conventional sound insulation methods)
• ISO 717‑1 (single‑number ratings)
• EN 12354‑1 (prediction model validation)

Keywords: EN ISO 15186-2:2010, sound intensity method, field measurements, in‑situ sound insulation, flanking transmission, airborne sound insulation, building acoustics.