ASTM International (formerly know as American Society for Testing and Materials) is an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems and services. The voluntary membership (a diverse collection of industries and individuals) has the technical expertise and therefore develop the standards and content resulting in the standards and to a limited extent polices validity and compliance. ASTM themselves does not have the technical expertise or resources to pass judgement on any organizations claims as to the degree they meet any standard referenced.
However, many of the standards become mandatory when referenced & included in a project specification. For example, in the US, ASTM standards have been adopted by incorporation or by reference in many federal state and municipal government project specifications which requires that adherence and compliance with the ASTM standards become mandatory.
An ASTM designation number identifies a unique version of an ASTM standard. Example, the latest version of the original E-90 test is identified as: ASTM E90-09 (2016) which means as follows: E= Miscellaneous subjects are contained in the test procedure. 90 = the assigned sequential number. 09 = the year of the original adoption OR the last year of the last major revision. 2016 = slight modifications changed to content but not procedure – a minor revision.
A summary of the ASTM standards that pertain to acoustics that are typically included in a moveable wall specification are as follows.
ASTM E90-09(2016): A test method that covers the laboratory measurement of airborne sound transmission loss of building partitions such as walls of all kinds, operable partitions, doors windows etc. It is from this test procedure that STC (Sound Transmission Class) is determined. There are special requirements included in E-90 that apply only to operable partitions. The test procedure outlined in Annex A4 describes the requirements to accredit a laboratory to perform the test method. For additional information read:
- https://www.moderco.com/stc-101/ Explains that STC numbers +/- 1 are equal
- https://www.moderco.com/astm-e-90-ask-see-complete-stc-sound-test/ The need to see a complete E90 sound test rather than just a number
ASTM E413-16: This classification covers methods of calculating single number acoustical ratings for laboratory and field measurements of sound attenuation as determined by ASTM E-90. The resulting number is the “STC”. The primary purpose of an STC number is to allow the comparisons of acoustical quality of a similar tested specimen based on identical test procedure.
- https://www.moderco.com/stc-and-the-acoustic-expectations/ Acoustic expectations of an STC number. What does it really mean?
ASTM E557-12 (2020): Provides design details that should be “considered” in the design of buildings that include operable partitions. The suggested details are required to limit leakage of sound (flanking paths) around an operable partition. It includes some general comments that affect the performance of the operable partitions.
- https://www.moderco.com/building-construction-design-considerations/ Building construction details including E557
ASTM E336-20 : Defines procedures to assess the sound insulation between two rooms separated by a common partition which includes within it an operable wall. The test results include not only the sound isolation characteristics of the operable partition but also considers direct and flanking partition paths of the fixed partition. The resulting number designated as NIC (Noise Isolation Class) is a real-life indication of the noise reduction through the entire partition.
ASTM C423-17: The measurement of sound absorption in a reverberation room. Basically, a measurement of the ability of materials in an area to absorb sound rather than the sound being reflected. The resulting number (NRC or Noise Reduction Coefficient) reflects the efficiency of the tested materials: the higher the number the more absorptive.
- https://www.moderco.com/operable-partitions-and-nrc-a-match-or-a-mismatch/ Our thoughts on the relationship between moveable walls and NRC
In conclusion, for an overall perspective on Acoustics and Moveable walls read https://www.moderco.com/operable-wall-acoustics-101/.
If Moderco can assist in any way when it comes to Moveable Wall acoustics please contact us at 1.800.363.3150.
