Overview
ISO 10140-1:2021 - "Acoustics - Laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building elements - Part 1: Application rules for specific products" defines application rules for laboratory measurement of sound insulation for building elements and products. It specifies test requirements for preparation, mounting, operating and test conditions, the applicable acoustic quantities to be measured, and additional information required in test reports. ISO 10140-1 complements the general measurement procedures in ISO 10140-2 (airborne) and ISO 10140-3 (impact) and refers to ISO 10140‑4 and ISO 10140‑5 for measurement techniques and test facility requirements.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope of tests: Laboratory measurement of sound insulation for specific building elements (walls, doors, windows, glazing, floors, floor coverings, acoustical linings, shutters, joints, roofs/rooflights, and small technical elements).
- Application rules structure: Annexes use a consistent format covering:
- definition of element/product and measured quantities (e.g., sound reduction index R),
- test opening and test element size (e.g., walls test opening ≈ 10 m²),
- boundary and mounting conditions,
- test and operating conditions (conditioning, curing, environmental factors),
- test report requirements.
- Mounting and boundary conditions: Detailed rules for how elements are fitted into the test aperture to improve reproducibility (for example, lightweight twin-leaf partitions are mounted with both leaves on the same side of the laboratory acoustic break).
- Reporting and quantities: Specifies which acoustic quantities to report and additional test information to ensure comparability between laboratories.
- Normative references: Includes related standards such as ISO 717-1, ISO 12999-1, ISO 16940 and EN 572 parts for glass.
Practical applications and users
ISO 10140-1 is used by:
- Acoustic test laboratories to standardize mounting and measurement conditions for repeatable laboratory sound insulation tests.
- Manufacturers of doors, windows, glazing, partitions, floor and ceiling systems to verify product acoustic performance.
- Acoustic consultants, architects and specifiers to interpret laboratory results and use them in design and procurement.
- Regulatory bodies and certification agencies for product evaluation, labeling and compliance testing.
Practical benefits include improved inter-laboratory reproducibility of sound insulation data, clearer test-report content, and consistent assessment of airborne and impact sound insulation for specific products.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 10140-1:2021, sound insulation, laboratory measurement, sound reduction index, airborne sound insulation, impact sound insulation, building elements, test mounting, acoustic test report.
Open preview (PDF)Acoustics — Laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building elements — Part 1: Application rules for specific products
