POSCO Engineering and Construction is putting efforts into tackling inter-floor noise in apartments through an innovative technology, the company said Thursday.

Since April, the company has launched a study on improving constructability of baseplate made of high manganese steel that the steel giant POSCO developed for the first time in the world last year. POSCO E&C is the construction arm of POSCO, the world‘s fourth-largest steelmaker.

POSCO E&C is comparing the weight, heavyweight impact noise of high manganese steel base plate with counterparts made of other materials.

The company said the vibration proof level of high manganese steel baseplate is four times higher than other general baseplates, meaning that it could considerably reduce inter-stair noise.

The state-run Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme also confirmed that the high manganese steel baseplate keeps the lightweight impact sound under 43 decibels and heavyweight impact sound under 40 decibels.

POSCO E&C will consider using the high manganese steel base plate in new apartments after thoroughly going through the constructability test on over 100 housings, the company said.

By Lee Hyun-jeong (rene@heraldcorp.com)