ISO 16283-2:20015 specifies procedures to determine the impact sound insulation using sound pressure measurements with an impact source operating on a floor or stairs in a building. These procedures are intended for room volumes in the range from 10 m3 to 250 m3 in the frequency range from 50 Hz to 5 000 Hz. The test results can be used to quantify, assess and compare the impact sound insulation in unfurnished or furnished rooms where the sound field might, or might not approximate to a diffuse field.

Two impact sources are described: the tapping machine and the rubber ball. These impact sources do not exactly replicate all possible types of real impacts on floors or stairs in buildings.

The tapping machine can be used to assess a variety of light, hard impacts such as footsteps from walkers wearing hard-heeled footwear or dropped objects. A single number quantity can be calculated using the rating procedures in ISO 717-2. This single number quantity links the measured impact sound insulation using the tapping machine to subjective assessment of general impacts in dwellings that occur on floors or stairs in a building. The tapping machine is also well-suited to the prediction of impact sound insulation using ISO 15712-2. These two aspects facilitate the specification of impact sound insulation in national building requirements using only measurements with the tapping machine as an impact source.

The rubber ball can be used to assess heavy, soft impacts such as from walkers in bare feet or children jumping, as well as quantifying absolute values that can be related to human disturbance in terms of a Fast time-weighted maximum sound pressure level. At present, calculation procedures for a single number quantity do not currently exist in an ISO Standard.