Which ASTM standard measures airborne sound between partitions?

• A. ASTM E336 measures airborne sound between partitions
• B. ASTM E414 measures airborne sound between partitions
• C. ASTM E492 measures impact sound
• D. ASTM E90 measures airborne sound between partitions

Answer: (D)

Airborne sound transmission through a partition is about how much noise travels from one room to another through a wall. The standard that provides the laboratory method to measure this exactly is ASTM E90. It sets up a source room and a receiving room, uses a standardized sound source and measurement microphones, and calculates the transmission loss across the wall across frequency bands to produce a single-number rating (often referred to as STC) used in design specifications. This direct method of quantifying how well a partition blocks airborne noise is what makes it the best choice for measuring airborne sound between partitions. The other standards address related but different aspects: one focuses on the impact sound through floors (like footfalls), and another covers room-to-room measurements with different approaches.