Spokane convention center
Floating floor for exhibition area above ballrooms
The concept of floating floors in convention and exhibition centers is a common measure to prevent structure-borne sound transmission and protect noise-sensitive areas nearby. However, this project was special. Not only were the acoustical requirements exceptionally high, but also the structural requirements to the isolation material were ambitious. The exhibition area is directly located above the convention center’s ballrooms, and noise from the exhibition area was supposed to be literally “inaudible”. Separated by a 250mm structural slab with a 100mm concrete topping, this project called for an elastomeric isolation material with an outstanding sound isolation performance.
Project overview
Area: 250,800m²
Architects: LMN Architects (Seattle, WA), ALSC Architects (Spokane, WA)
Acoustical Engineer: Sparling (Seattle, WA), now Stantec
Structural Engineer: DCI Engineers (Spokane, WA)
General Contractor: Garco Construction (Spokane, WA)
REGUPOL vibration 300
While the typical load on the isolation material was estimated with approx. 1,500 kg/m², forklifts and trucks can enter the exhibition area with a total weight of up to 27,000 kg. Hence, the isolation product was required to provide superior acoustic isolation without allowing too much deflection to prevent potential cracking of the concrete topping. REGUPOL vibration 300 was found to be the best product out of the REGUPOL and REGUFOAM vibration product range. REGUPOL America provided all required acoustical and structural calculations and even carried out custom tests about the structural performance of the product at the above loads. This allowed Sparling and DCI to approve and use REGUPOL vibration 300 for this special project.
It was a pleasure working with Michael Yantis and Andrew Boone (Sparling, now Stantec), as well as Justin Cook (DCI Engineers) on this project. Michael Yantis and his team were very helpful in providing the acoustical and structural requirements, leading the project team, and supervising the special calculations about the structural performance of the isolation materials used.
