🏗️ Field measurement of airborne sound insulation between rooms — DnT and R′ in one-third-octave bands 50–5000 Hz, default and low-frequency procedure, fixed, continuously-moving and manually-scanned microphones, PN-EN ISO 16283-1

Construction PN-EN ISO 16283-1

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. We have a preview of ISO 16283-1:2014 (first edition) — from the title page to 7.4.4 (page 9 of 43); PN-EN ISO 16283-1:2014-05 introduces the text unchanged (IDT). Foreword: the first edition replaced ISO 140-4:1998, ISO 140-5:1998, ISO 140-7:1998 and ISO 140-14:2004 after technical revision. Introduction: unlike ISO 140-4, -5 and -7, the standard applies to rooms in which the sound field may or may not approximate to a diffuse field, clarifies how operators can measure with a hand-held microphone or sound level meter, and includes the guidance of the former ISO 140-14; survey methods are in ISO 10052. Scope (Clause 1): procedures to determine the airborne sound insulation between two rooms in a building using sound pressure measurements, for rooms from 10 to 250 m³ and bands from 50 to 5000 Hz, furnished or unfurnished; the frequency-dependent result can be converted into a single-number quantity according to ISO 717-1. Definitions: level difference D = L1 − L2 (for a room below 25 m³ — in the 50, 63 and 80 Hz bands the low-frequency level LLF from corner measurements); standardized level difference DnT = D + 10 lg(T/T0), T0 = 0.5 s for dwellings (DnT depends on the direction of measurement — regulations usually require the smaller room to be the receiving room); apparent sound reduction index R′ = D + 10 lg(S/A), with the area of the common partition S and the absorption area A = 0.16 V/T.

INSTRUMENTS, BANDS AND PROCEDURE (Clauses 4–7.4.4 of the preview). Sound level meters with microphone, cables and windscreens — class 0 or 1 according to IEC 61672-1, filters — IEC 61260, reverberation time — ISO 3382-2. The measuring chain is checked with a class 0 or 1 sound calibrator (IEC 60942) at the beginning and end of every session and every day; the difference between two consecutive checks must not exceed 0.5 dB, otherwise the results since the last satisfactory check are discarded; recommended calibration of the calibrator every year, and of the meter and filters every two years. One-third-octave bands at least from 100 to 3150 Hz, optionally 50–80 Hz and 4000–5000 Hz. The levels are measured in both rooms with the loudspeakers operating, the background noise in the receiving room and the reverberation time in the receiving room — by the default procedure, and in rooms below 25 m³ additionally by the low-frequency procedure (50, 63 and 80 Hz bands, corner measurements). The sound field must not be modified for the test with additional furniture or diffusers. All methods are equivalent, but in case of dispute the reference result is the measurement without an operator in the source or receiving room. Sound: loudspeakers in at least two positions (or one moved), a steady signal with a continuous spectrum, a level difference between adjacent one-third octaves in the source room of not more than 8 dB at least above 100 Hz; loudspeaker at least 0.5 m from the room boundaries (1.0 m from the partition under test), positions at least 0.7 m apart, two at least 1.4 m apart, when testing a floor with the loudspeaker above — its base at least 1.0 m above the floor. Fixed microphones (7.3) — at least five positions in each room, not in one plane and not in a regular grid; with a single loudspeaker — DnT and R′ from each loudspeaker position, energy-averaged. Mechanized continuously-moving microphone (7.4) — radius at least 0.7 m, plane inclined at least 10° to walls, ceiling and floor, one traverse at least 15 s.

STATUS (state on 29 September 2026). The card of PN-EN ISO 16283-1:2014-05 (Polish version) has no "Withdrawn" header — the standard is CURRENT: Polish version published 18-06-2019, 52 pages, price group U, Construction and Building Structures Sector, KT 253 for Architectural Acoustics, ICS 91.120.20, "Introduces: EN ISO 16283-1:2014 [IDT], ISO 16283-1:2014 [IDT]", "Replaces: PN-EN ISO 140-5:1999, PN-EN ISO 140-14:2006, PN-EN ISO 140-4:2000, PN-EN ISO 140-7:2000", in the "Additional elements" field — amendment PN-EN ISO 16283-1:2014-05/A1:2018-02 (Polish version: published 30-07-2019, 17 pages, introduces EN ISO 16283-1:2014/A1:2017 and ISO 16283-1:2014/Amd 1:2017; "Scope" field: addition in 3.14 and changes in 4.1, 4.2, 8.2.1, 8.5, 8.5.1, 8.5.2, 9.2, in Figures D.1 and E.1 and in the bibliography). ISO page: ISO 16283-1:2014, edition 1, 43 pages, with amendment Amd 1:2017 — "last reviewed and confirmed in 2025".

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation-scope database, data loaded up to 17 September 2026, read on 29 September 2026). All notations of number 16283-1: 11 entries at 11 laboratories (the copy divides the entries of AB 838 and AB 1924 into two records each — the row of weighted indices separately). In the current PCA document the standard, without a year, is also held by AB 023 — in the flexible part of its scope (internal walls and their elements, E; bands (100 - 5000) Hz with the option of 50, 63 and 80 Hz; issue No 31 of 16.07.2025), whose rows the database copy does not contain; together 12 laboratories, and the further figures refer to the 11 laboratories of the copy. Edition "2014-05" — 9 laboratories, "PN-EN ISO 16283-1:2014" — AB 1391, without a year — AB 1241; amendment A1:2018-02 is held by 9 laboratories (all except AB 818 and AB 1241). Restrictions: "excluding point 7.4" (without the mechanized continuously-moving microphone) — AB 796, AB 869, AB 1162, AB 1413, AB 1621 and AB 1924; "excluding points 7.4 and 7.5" (also without the manually-scanned microphone) — AB 1391; "excluding point 13" (uncertainty) with the notation of the standard with amendment A1 — AB 838. The "Laboratories" tab searches for notations BEGINNING WITH "PN-EN ISO 16283-1" and will show 9 laboratories — checked with the tab query on the labcoda.pl production server on 30 September 2026: 9; AB 1391 and AB 1621 write the standard in one string after PN-EN ISO 140-4:2000, so the tab does not show them, and AB 023 does not have this row in the data the tab uses. Current scopes on the PCA website (read on 29 September 2026, issues from 07.02.2025 to 28.07.2026): all entries stand in the valid issues, every pair of range numbers from the copy occurs in the current document and no entry is suspended.

SUBJECT AND RANGE. Buildings and building elements, internal walls and floors, doors — all 11 laboratories. Quantities: R′ and DnT (at AB 838 and AB 1162 also the normalized level difference Dn), in one-third-octave bands, and at AB 1413, AB 1621 and AB 1924 also in octave bands; weighted indices R′w, DnT,w with C and Ctr "calculated" (according to PN-EN ISO 717-1). Bands: (50 – 5000) Hz — 9 laboratories, (100 – 5000) Hz — AB 1924, (100 ÷ 5000) Hz with the option of 50, 63 and 80 Hz — AB 818.

ALONGSIDE THIS STANDARD. The withdrawn PN-EN ISO 140-4:2000, which this standard replaced, is in the scopes of all 11 laboratories — at 10 in the same entry, at AB 818 in a separate row — and also of AB 023, in the fixed part of its scope (it has PN-EN ISO 16283-1 in the flexible part). PN-EN ISO 717-1 (single-number ratings) stands in the same entries at 7 laboratories, in the scopes — at 10. The same scopes also contain parts 2 (impact sound — 8 laboratories) and 3 (façades — 5) of the PN-EN ISO 16283 series and the survey method PN-EN ISO 10052 (8). PN-EN ISO 140-4, PN-EN ISO 717-1 and PN-EN ISO 10052 have separate entries in the Knowledge Base.

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. First — the direction: DnT depends on which room is the source room; with different volumes, measuring from the smaller to the larger room gives a higher result, which is why regulations usually require the smaller room to be the receiving room. Second — small rooms: below 25 m³ the standard requires an additional low-frequency procedure in the 50–80 Hz bands; a result in these bands without corner measurements does not meet the standard. Third — the operator in the room: the methods are equivalent, but in a dispute the measurement without an operator counts, and seven laboratories exclude the mechanized continuously-moving microphone, one also the manually-scanned one. Fourth — calibration: a difference of more than 0.5 dB between two calibrator checks invalidates the results since the last satisfactory check.

WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. The preview ends at 7.4.4, so we do not give the manually-scanned microphone (7.5), microphone distances (7.6), averaging times (7.7), calculation of levels (7.8), the low-frequency procedure (Clause 8), background noise correction (Clause 9), reverberation time measurement (Clause 10), conversion to octave bands (Clause 11), uncertainty (Clause 13), the test report (Clause 14) or Annexes A–E; we did not have the text of amendment A1:2017 — we only know the list of changed points from the card.

Method principle

In the source room loudspeakers (at least two positions) generate steady noise; in both rooms the energy-average sound pressure levels are measured in one-third-octave bands — with fixed microphones (at least five positions), manually-held, mechanized continuously-moving or manually-scanned microphones — and in the receiving room also the background noise and the reverberation time. From the level difference D = L1 − L2 the standardized level difference DnT = D + 10 lg(T/0.5 s) or the apparent sound reduction index R′ = D + 10 lg(S/A) is calculated. In rooms below 25 m³ the 50–80 Hz bands are additionally measured in the corners.

Applications

• Acceptance tests and checks of the insulation of walls and floors between dwellings and rooms — in the scopes of 11 laboratories
• Internal doors and partitions in buildings (AB 818, AB 1241)
• Input data for the single-number ratings R′w and DnT,w with C and Ctr according to PN-EN ISO 717-1

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN ISO 16283-1:2014-05 (wersja polska z 18-06-2019 i wersja angielska; EN ISO 16283-1:2014, ISO 16283-1:2014 IDT) ze zmianą PN-EN ISO 16283-1:2014-05/A1:2018-02

Title (PL)

Akustyka — Pomiary terenowe izolacyjności akustycznej w budynkach i izolacyjności akustycznej elementów budowlanych — Część 1: Izolacyjność od dźwięków powietrznych

Title (EN)

Acoustics — Field measurement of sound insulation in buildings and of building elements — Part 1: Airborne sound insulation

Step-by-step procedure

1. Choice of rooms

   Source room with loudspeakers, receiving room — usually the smaller one; room volumes (below 25 m³ — additional low-frequency procedure).

2. Checking the measuring chain

   With the calibrator at the beginning and end of the session and day; difference ≤ 0.5 dB.

3. Sound field

   Loudspeakers in ≥ 2 positions (≥ 0.5 m from boundaries, ≥ 1.0 m from the partition under test, ≥ 0.7 m apart, two ≥ 1.4 m apart); difference between adjacent one-third octaves ≤ 8 dB above 100 Hz; no additional diffusers.

4. Levels

   In both rooms: ≥ 5 fixed microphone positions or a continuously-moving microphone (radius ≥ 0.7 m, ≥ 15 s) or a manually-scanned one; background noise in the receiving room.

5. Reverberation time

   In the receiving room, according to Clause 10 and ISO 3382-2 — we DO NOT GIVE the details.

6. Result

   DnT or R′ in one-third octaves (with background correction according to 9.2 — we DO NOT GIVE it); with a single loudspeaker energy-averaging over positions; rating according to PN-EN ISO 717-1.

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• In the source room the levels can damage hearing — the standard recommends hearing protection for the operator, and removing it in the receiving room so as to hear disturbances
• SUBSTANTIVE NOTE: DnT depends on the direction of measurement, and in small rooms on the low-frequency procedure — the report must state the receiving room, the volumes and the procedures used

Frequently asked questions