
Robert Sean SmithUniversity of Edinburgh | UoE · School of Engineering
Robert Sean Smith
BSc PhD
About
50
Publications
26,341
Reads
How we measure 'reads'
A 'read' is counted each time someone views a publication summary (such as the title, abstract, and list of authors), clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the full-text. Learn more
484
Citations
Introduction
Professor Sean Smith is Professor of Future Construction and Director of the Centre for Future Infrastructure at the School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Www.ed.ac.uk
Additional affiliations
June 2020 - June 2020
Publications
Publications (50)
This report was undertaken on behalf of the Zero Emission Social Housing Task Force in Scotland.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/developing-net-zero-technical-solutions-for-scotlands-future-mass-retrofit-housing-programme/
This is a multi-author report with senior representatives from local authorities and housing associations in Scotland.
A connector for use as a structural tie or strap in the construction industry comprises a substantially rectangular member with first and second ends on a first axis. Fastening points are provided at each end for fastening to walls and is applicable to twin frame separating walls or the like. The connector includes an acoustic attenuation mechanism...
This paper examines some of the effects and influences of storm surges occurring during hurricanes. Profound economic and social pressures from industry sectors, local authorities, investors and society arose post hurricane Katrina, when the damage estimation was greater from storm surge (water) than from hurricanes (the wind). Considering the comp...
Colegio Rochester is school in Colombia with a strong vision for sustainability. This vision permeates the new school building which was the first school in Latin America to be awarded a LEED Gold certification. This article uses Colegio Rochester as a case study to understand how the individual roles and interactions between stakeholders, includin...
A standard defining a common acoustic classification scheme for dwellings is under development by ISO TC42/SC2/WG29 based on the outcomes of European project COST Action TU0901. The proposal stands on the assumption that in the long term many countries will establish building acoustic requirements using a harmonized set of descriptors, and the hypo...
This paper presents a novel method of automating the structural design of timber connections and ensuring code compliance within a Building Information Modelling (BIM) context. The mathematical method of Multi-Dimensional Data Fitting (MDDF) is presented and applied in a proof-of-concept example of a simple timber connection.
The requirements of MD...
Due to increasing demand for housing and other building infrastructure the methodology of offsite construction is becoming more attractive to developers, local authorities and government organisations. This paper outlines some of the key drivers such as on-site skills shortages, increasing population, community and education buildings required and...
We evaluate the changes to domestic electricity and gas consumption when the occupants have local access to a coloured real time in-home display (IHD). We report the preliminary six months findings of a three year research project involving 52 new build Scottish dwellings (flats and houses). On average, when compared to households with no IHD (n=22...
The aim of the paper is to give suggestions in order to improve the sound insulation performance of double brick walls. Initially, a comparison of typical solutions used in Italy and in some European countries (UK, Spain and Belgium) are reported. The results of the comparison suggest possible changes in the way the brick walls are built in order t...
The study, carried out between 2009 and 2013 as part of the
European COST Action TU0901, concerning the Integration
and Harmonization of Sound Insulation Aspects in Sustainable
Urban Housing Constructions, led to the definition of a database of
construction solutions and guidelines of good practice for sound insulation
of buildings, at the European...
In building acoustics the measurement uncertainty of sound insulation measurements is traditionally either not reported or reported as stated in the corresponding standard ISO 12999–1:2014. Determination and application of measurement uncertainties in building acoustics—Part 1: Sound insulation (former ISO 140-2). An alternative procedure is presen...
The book is the result of Cost Action TU 0901 and is aimed to: propose harmonized descriptors for airborne and impact sound insulation, propose a European acoustic classification scheme for dwellings, establish a catalogue of sound insulation data for construction solutions found in the different participating countries and produce an on-line compe...
Multiple Authored Book
Neighbour noise is a significant problem having had insufficient attention for decades, both for existing housing and new housing. Time had come to solve the challenges by establishing a common framework in building acoustics throughout Europe. As a consequence, the research network, COST Action TU0901 “Integrating and Harmon...
Neighbour noise is a significant problem having had insufficient attention for decades, both for existing housing and new housing. Time had come to solve the challenges by establishing a common framework in building acoustics throughout Europe. As a consequence, the research network, COST Action TU0901 “Integrating and Harmonizing Sound Insulation...
The draft NWIP ISO 16717-1 represent the proposed replacement of the ISO 717-1 standard for the calculation of the single number ratings for airborne sound insulation in buildings. One of the main features of the proposal is that the traditional standardized noise level difference (D nT,w) measured from 100 Hz to 3150 Hz will be replaced by a new s...
The objective of this paper is to investigate on the uncertainty of in situ airborne sound insulation measurements. A large set of field data has been used to perform individual uncertainty calculations curves using a GUM based approach (ISO Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement). Based on these results, the uncertainty of various s...
In European countries, the acoustic performance of internal partitions between apartments are subject to very different limit values. This is a result of different habits and cultures in the various countries, as well as often diverse construction technologies.
In this presentation the results of a comparison of the most common partitions, used bot...
An acoustic isolator for use in the construction industry. The isolator provides a first member made of a damping material which locates in a wall or floor junction in masonry or blockwork structures. A second member arranged perpendicular to the first locates against a side of the structure so that the isolator prevents the transmission of sound a...
One of the main objectives of EU COST Action TU0901 is to propose a set of harmonised
descriptors for airborne and impact sound insulation. The purpose of this paper is to perform a
comparative analysis of different existing descriptors among EU building acoustics regulations.
This comprehensive study was based on the data processing of over 4,500...
Resilient bars can provide a low-cost, effective improvement to sound insulation performance. They are commonly used in timber-framed floor/ceiling assemblies in North America and Europe. Resilient bars are often modelled as springs isolating the two connected plates thereby forming a mass-spring-mass system. However, as a furring system of plates,...
As effective, low-cost isolators, resilient bars have become the dominant ceiling treatment for improving the sound insulation of apartment timber floors in the UK to meet increasingly stringent building regulations. There are many variations on the resilient bar theme available on the market, many differing only in their detailed features. Their a...
A support member (joist hanger) (1) supports a joist or beam (2) against disproportionate structural collapse of a building, without compromising the low frequency sound insulation of the joist or beam (2) and connected floor (11) and/or ceiling assemblies. This is achieved by providing a support member (1) which allows the joist or beam (2) to con...
Monarfloor's Bridgestop cavity wall isolation system (E-WM- 19) became the first Robust Detail wall construction to achieve the full four credits available under the Code for Sustainable Homes in the December 2009 update of the Robust Details (RD) Handbook. The research project behind the Bridgestop system was carried out through a joint venture be...
Recent field studies shown that up to 30% of heat loss within attached or semi-detached dwellings can occur via party cavity walls. Proposed changes to UK Building Regulations' Approved Document Part L (ADL) and SAP 2009 encourage the use of effective edge sealing and/or mineral wool infilling to combat this heat loss. Similarly, increasingly strin...
The invention relates to a party wall 10 and comprises first and second skins 12, 14 and a cavity 16 between the skins; an acoustic isolator 22; and a fixing means that fixes the acoustic isolator 22 to the inner surface of at least one of the first and second skins 12, 14. The acoustic isolator 22 typically comprises acoustic insulating material,...
A structural tie or strap in the form of a connector for use in the construction industry. The connector is substantially rectangular with fixing points at either end for fastening to walls or the like and includes an acoustic attenuation mechanism to enhance acoustic performance between the walls. The acoustic attenuation mechanism is embodied as...
This paper provides an overview of a unique monitoring system used in England and Wales for tracking the sound insulation performance for 110 000 new build homes per annum. The regulatory approach, known as Robust Details was established within the building regulations and passed by parliament in 2004 after an 18 month initial research project. Ann...
Sound or noise transmission may be an everyday occurrence and, for some occupants, a series of random and uncontrollable events. This can lead to frustration, anger and stress for occupants. In some cases the persons generating this noise are unaware of the repercussions on their neighbours’ quality of life. One method of addressing noise intrusion...
This paper outlines the background, process and system approach towards the development of robust details (RD) for sound insulation for new build dwellings in England and Wales. Part 1 outlines the initial Robust Standard Details project and its framework, Part 2 describes the structure and operation of the RD scheme for Building Regulation E1 and...
The need for improved limber quality assesment is important to the forestry industry. Scotland's harvestable softwood population will reach the peak of its 50 year plantation cycle in 2020. Current mechanical grading results in waste and the underlying theory behind typical timber condition assesment is limited. Such methods of quality control are...
The use of some ISO 717 spectrum adaptation terms were found to be not suitable as rating criteria for sound insulation between adjoining dwellings. Since the study was undertaken in 2001 the ADE guidance document removed the Ci spectrum adaptation term and also dispensed with the lower airborne discretionary value given to building control authori...
Statistical energy analysis (SEA) is used to model sound transmission through double leaf lightweight partitions. It is found that the best SEA model depends on the frequency range considered and the method of construction. At low frequencies the wall can be modelled as a single subsystem while at higher frequencies it should be modelled as a numbe...
In Part I of this paper sound transmission through double leaf lightweight partitions was examined. It was shown that an important part of the overall transmission is determined by structure-borne sound transmission between the two leaves of the wall. In this report, Part II of the paper, structural coupling is examined in more detail. Two theories...
We present the hypothesis that auditory neural input is important to maintain diencephalically mediated sleep respiratory function during a critical period in infant development, and that attenuation of these stimuli due to sleep practices, sleep environment, or auditory system dysfunction may contribute to the development of sudden infant death sy...
Hollow bricks and blocks are one of the most common forms of material used for wall construction found in Central and Southern Europe. The principle purpose of the perforations (holes) is to increase the thermal insulation properties. As a result of these perforations the block gross density is reduced significantly and these block walls have high...
In an inter-laboratory test programme (ILT) for the measurement of airborne sound insulation of lightweight walls, reproducibility values of up to 12dB were obtained from the sound reduction index measured in 21 participating laboratories. These high reproducibility values were for a test structure composed of lightweight plasterboard panels, formi...
This paper describes the results of the European Inter-Laboratory Test (ILT) program, conducted for the determination of repeatability and reproducibility values for the laboratory measurements of airborne sound insulation of walls. A total of 24 laboratories took part in this ILT, 21 belonging to the European Community. Two test structures were co...
The use of perforated bricks or blocks is the most common form of wall construction found in Central and Southern Europe. However, very few theoretical models have been developed for the purpose of predicting sound transmission through these walls or analyzing their behavior. In this paper statistical energy analysis (SEA) is adopted to predict the...
In the Inter?comparison of European Laboratory Measurements of Airborne Sound Insulation of Walls under the EC Measurement and Testing Programme 1990?1994 a significant difference, of up to 12 dB, was found in the reproducibility results for the participating 21 laboratories. This difference was associated only with specimen 1, the double leaf ligh...
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Heriot-Watt University, 1997.