Prediction and measurement of high sound insulation and evaluation of sound transmission paths in complex building structures can be a difficult and challenging task. This paper reports on measurements and simulations in the Odeon software of airborne sound insulation between premises in neighbouring buildings, from the basement in one building to the 3rd floor in the next building.

Measurements employing 11 minute long sine sweeps and red noise as excitation signals achieved sound reduction indices of R’ ≥ 95, 70 and 50 dB at 500, 50 and 20 Hz, respectively, and R’w + C50-5000 = 90 dB. The results were largely unaffected by background noise in 1/3-octave bands from 31.5 to 2000 Hz. The sound transmission paths included a source room, transmission through floors, doors and windows, multiple reflections outdoors between several buildings, and transmission through façades into receiving rooms.

An Odeon model was calibrated to measurements in and around the source room in order to estimate sound paths to the neighbouring dwellings. Such an approach does not include structure borne sound, but chosen sound paths can be eliminated completely in order to quantify their contribution to the total sound pressure levels. Results comparing measured sound pressure levels in and around the buildings with the corresponding levels calculated in Odeon gave good agreement in cases where structure borne sound was not dominant.