Abstract
As effective, low-cost isolators, resilient bars have become the dominant ceiling treatment for improving the sound insulation of apartment timber floors in the UK to meet increasingly stringent building regulations. There are many variations on the resilient bar theme available on the market, many differing only in their detailed features. Their acoustic performances are not however, consistent. This research investigated the isolating effects of resilient bars from four perspectives: that of their rotational resilience when acting as a spring hinge, considering their base flange as a spring, their ceiling flange as a spring and examining the spring effect provided by the bar in its longitudinal direction. Two types of experiment were designed: vibration transmission tests at 31.5 Hz ⪕ f ⪕ 5000 Hz on a small-scale timber floor model, and static stiffness tests on small resilient bar specimens. Data revealed the relative importance of key features while providing improved design guidance.