Acoustic behavior in three types of housing: Brick social housing, structural insulated panel (SIP) emergency housing and mediagua emergency housing

Abstract

As part of the analysis of the technical criteria for emergency housing of Fondef project D09I1058, the acoustic behavior of three types of dwellings was measured: brick social housing, structural insulated panel (SIP) emergency housing and "mediagua" emergency housing. The acoustic reduction index (Rw) was measured in medium-density fiberboard (MDF), oriented strand board (OSB), plywood (Plywood), hard fiberboard (HB) and particle board (PB). PB and HB obtained Rw values of 20 dB, while MDF and Plywood obtained Rw values of 17 dB, and OSB obtained an Rw value of 19 dB, reflecting an additional positive characteristic of their structural properties that enables a lower cost for the manufacture of SIP emergency housing in compliance with the technical thermal mechanical regulations enforced by the General Ordinance of Urbanism and Construction (Ordenanza General de Urbanismo y Construcción, OGUC). To reduce costs, these dwellings were not designed to comply with acoustic regulations, but if they were evaluated for compliance, their result would fulfill the important criteria for a positive impact on acoustic insulation. NCh 432-10, according to OGUC, requires a minimum attenuation of 45 dB (Insttituto Nacional de Normalización, 2010a) in paired walls for social housing but not for emergency housing. The test was performed according to NCh 2785-2002 (Instituto Nacional de Normalizacion, 2002), using a sound-emitting speaker and a sound level meter, to obtain the attenuation of the paired wall. The social housing reached an attenuation of 42 dB, the SIP housing reached an attenuation of 39 dB, and the mediagua housing reached an attenuation of 6 dB, evidencing the precariousness of housing that is constructed from low-quality wood and that is poorly assembled, without air- and water-tightness, consequently affecting quality of life.