Acoustically Absorptive Solid Volume Building Assembly

1 . A building assembly, for use in a floor and/or ceiling of a building, consisting of:

a solid wood or mass timber structural panel layer;

a lightweight panel layer; and

an acoustically absorptive solid volume material layer between the solid wood or mass timber structural panel layer and the lightweight panel layer to provide a separation of an air-borne acoustic vibration or a separation of an impact- or structure-borne acoustic vibration between the lightweight panel layer and the solid wood or mass timber structural panel layer.

2 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the building assembly meets the International Building Code (IBC) section 1207.2 requirements for field sound transmission class (FSTC) and IBC section 1207.3 requirements for field impact isolation class (FIIC).

3 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the building assembly attains a sound transmission class (STC) rating of at least 50 for airborne sound separation, attains a field sound transmission class (FSTC) rating of 45 for airborne sound separation, attains an impact insulation class (IIC) rating of at least 50 for impact sound separation, and attains a field impact insulation class (FIIC) rating of at least 45 for impact sound separation.

4 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the building assembly attains a Field Sound Transmission Class rating in the range of 50-52.

5 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the building assembly attains an Apparent Impact Insulation Class rating in the range of 47-50.

6 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the solid wood or mass timber structural panel layer comprises a plurality of solid wood panel products fastened to each other to create a solid flat plate structural floor having a thickness in the range of 140-173 mm and a weight in the range of 14.2 to 16.4 pounds/square foot.

7 . The building assembly of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of solid wood panel products fastened to each other to create the solid flat plate structural floor comprises a cross laminated timber product having a plurality of layers, each layer having a thickness in the range of 28 mm-34.6 mm and a weight in the range of 2.84 to 3.28 pounds/square foot.

8 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the solid wood or mass timber structural panel layer is capable of supporting a uniform building load of at least 100 pounds/square foot, and a concentrated building load of at least 2,000 pounds applied to a localized area of 2.5 ft×2.5 ft.

9 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the solid wood or mass timber structural panel layer attains an Apparent Impact Insulation Class rating in the range of 18-20 and attains a Field Sound Transmission Class rating in the range of 36-37.

10 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lightweight panel layer comprises a wood product-based panel layer.

11 . The building assembly of claim 10 , wherein the wood product-based panel layer is selected from a group consisting of: a medium density fiberboard (MDF) panel having a thickness of approximately ¾″ and a weight in the range of 3.1 to 4.25 pounds/square foot; and a tongue and groove plywood panel having a thickness of approximately ¾″ and a weight of approximately 2.1 pounds/square foot.

12 . The building assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a tongue and groove plywood panel having a thickness of approximately ¾″ and a weight of approximately 2.1 pounds/square foot fastened to (e.g., screwed to) the wood product-based panel layer.

13 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lightweight panel layer comprises a particleboard panel having a thickness of approximately 1″ and a weight of approximately 4.25 pounds/square foot.

14 . The building assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a plywood panel having a thickness of approximately ½″ and a weight of approximately 1.5 pounds/square foot fastened to the particleboard panel.

15 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lightweight panel layer comprises a plurality of layers of structural board, each structural board comprising cellulose fiber having a thickness of approximately ⅝″ and a weight of approximately 1.5 pounds/square foot.

16 . The building assembly of claim 15 , further comprising another layer of the structural board, or a plywood panel having a thickness of approximately ½″ and a weight of approximately 1.5 pounds/square foot, fastened to the plurality of layers of structural board.

17 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lightweight panel layer comprises a cement product-based panel layer.

18 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the acoustically absorptive solid volume material layer between the solid wood or mass timber structural panel layer and the lightweight panel layer comprises a plurality of compressed mineral wool insulation boards having an overall thickness of approximately 3″ and a weight of approximately 3⅛ pounds/square foot.

19 . The building assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plywood subfloor adjacent an outside surface of the lightweight panel layer.

20 . (canceled)

21 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the building assembly is to be manufactured off-site as a plurality of panels for shipment to a building site for use in the floor and/or ceiling of the building.

22 . The building assembly of claim 1 , wherein the acoustically absorptive solid volume material layer is to transfer a uniform structural load and/or a concentrated structural load applied to the lightweight panel layer from the lightweight panel layer to the solid wood or mass timber structural panel layer.