scope:

This part of ISO 140 specifies a method for measuring the acoustic properties of floor coverings from the view- point of reducing impact sound transmission. The purpose of this part of ISO 140 is to establish a method for determining the impact sound insulation of a floor covering under standard test conditions. The test is limited to the specification of procedures for the physical measurement of sound originating from an artificial impact source (tapping machine) under laboratory conditions and is not directly related to the subjective significance of the results. In this part of ISO 140, a test method is described using the standard tapping machine to simulate impact sources like human footsteps with shoes. In addition, methods using a modified tapping machine and a heavy/soft impact source are also introduced in informative annexes C and D for the asessment of impact sound insulation of a floor covering against impact sources with strong components at low frequencies such as human footsteps or children jumping. This part of ISO 140 is applicable to all floor coverings, whether single or multi-layered, as installed on lightweight floors. In the case of multi-layered coverings, they may be factory-assembled or assembled at the test site. The test method applies only to laboratory measurements.