Sounds generated from floors by various human actions (called the floor sounds) are recognized as noise. On the other hand, floor sounds may create an atmosphere of Noh play, dancing, sports and so on. The floor sounds are also utilized as a clue as to how blind people perceive an obstacle and a person at a distance. The floor sounds, therefore, is a significant subject in the field of architectural environments. In the present work, the evaluation method of the magnitude of the floor sounds has been studied. As a first step, the relationship between the maximum value (P_<max>) of loads by human actions and A-weighted sound pressure level (dB(A)) was examined under conditions of various combinations of human actions and footwears. Secondly, a impact loading apparatus which synthesizes this relationship was built. Lastly, a sensory test on the magnitude of the floor sounds was carried out for 8 different kinds of floors. From the results of this experiment, it was confirmed that the values of dB(A), produced by the developed apparatus, corresponded to the sensory scale of the floor sounds obtained from the above mentioned test So it can be said conclusively that the evaluation method of the floor sounds using the developed apparatus is representative.
