Evaluation of Sound Insulation Performance in EPS Cement Partition Panels

Sound Insulation Principles:

1. Mass Law: The cement surface layer provides essential mass, as sound transmission through high-mass materials requires greater energy consumption. This constitutes the foundation of sound insulation.
2. Damping Effect: The internal EPS foam core (polystyrene) exhibits specific elasticity and damping characteristics, enabling the absorption and dissipation of partial sound wave energy, particularly for mid-to-high frequency sounds.
3. Layered Structure: The stratified configuration composed of materials with varying densities (cement surface layer – lightweight core material – cement surface layer) disrupts the continuity of sound propagation, thereby increasing the difficulty of sound transmission.

Typical Sound Insulation Performance:

1. 5mm Thick Panel: Typically achieves Rw 35-38 dB, meeting basic sound insulation requirements for residential partition walls and office partitions. Suitable for room divisions with moderate requirements, such as between hotel rooms or within office cubicles.
2. 90mm / 100mm Thick Panel: Generally attains Rw 38-42 dB or higher. Increased thickness significantly enhances sound insulation performance, approaching or meeting minimum requirements for residential partition walls (45 dB). Applicable to spaces with higher sound insulation demands, such as quiet offices, upscale hotel room partitions, or interior residential walls (e.g., between bedrooms and living rooms).
3. 120mm / 150mm Thick Panel: Capable of reaching Rw 42 dB or above, potentially approaching 45 dB or higher. Typically satisfies minimum requirements for most residential partition walls, demonstrating ideal sound insulation effects.

Key Factors Influencing Sound Insulation Performance:

Panel Thickness and Density: These constitute the most critical factors. Increased panel thickness and higher surface cement density result in superior sound insulation. Selection of 90mm or 100mm thickness and above yields enhanced sound insulation.

Installation Quality and Sealing:

1. Panel Joint Treatment: Vertical, top, and bottom joints between panels must be filled with specialized joint mortar or elastic sealant. Any gap serves as a sound transmission path (sound bridge), significantly compromising overall sound insulation.
2. Structural Connections: Proper sealing is essential at connections between walls and floor slabs, beams, columns, and side walls.
3. Pipe Penetrations: Openings for wall-penetrating pipes (electrical conduits, water pipes) must be thoroughly sealed with soundproof sealant or foam.
4. Wall Construction:

– Single-layer Panel Wall: Installation of a single row of EPS cement panels. This conventional approach achieves the aforementioned typical sound insulation values.

– Double-layer Panel Wall: Installation of two rows of EPS cement panels with an intermediate cavity (or soundproofing wool filling). This configuration significantly enhances sound insulation performance (potentially reaching Rw 50 dB or higher), suitable for environments with stringent sound insulation requirements (e.g., KTV rooms, recording studios, high-demand residential partition walls). However, this increases both cost and spatial requirements.

5. Surface Treatment: Direct plastering or tile application on panel surfaces increases wall mass, providing marginal sound insulation improvement.