Acoustically isolated structural connections in mass timber - from specification to installation
Abstract
Acoustically isolated structural connections are, by nature of their design, based on somehow conflicting and sometimes opposing objectives - on one hand, you have the objective of reducing noise and vibration transmission from substructures to superstructures, while on the other hand, you have the need to transfer loads, sometimes in more than one direction. This dual objective, in almost all instances, necessitates the proper design of all components collaboratively, inevitably resulting in compromises or changes to the design. In this paper, we explore the use of such systems on a mass timber construction building - The American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. The use of these systems in a mass timber structure adds further complexity, requiring a longer coordination period and modeling. We present here a discussion on two systems: a) a dual-axis load isolation connection between facade elements and the building superstructure, and b) a column baseplate isolation system. In this paper, we discuss how the teams from CDM Stravitec and Nordic Structures progressed the project from design specifications to a solution design, through installation, and explore lessons learned along the way.
Reference
Alfredo Rodrigues; Ashwin Dias; Giuseppe Cenci. (2026). Acoustically isolated structural connections in mass timber - from specification to installation. INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.3397/nc_2026_0113
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