Chapter 6 - Generation mechanisms of tire/road noise

Abstract

Tire/road noise is an important part of the overall vehicle noise and its importance has grown with the recent technological advances in the reduction of engine and powertrain noise and the advent of electric vehicles. Tire and road surface interactions result in generation of noise and vibrations which are transmitted to the cabin and vehicle surroundings. The generated vibrations are filtered by different suspension and chassis components along the transmission path. Similarly, the generated noise is amplified by some acoustic amplification mechanisms and later filtered by different body panels and components along the acoustic transmission path. The transmitted noise and vibration can be perceived inside the car as cabin noise or human body vibrations and outside the car as tire pass-by noise. In order to control the cabin and pass-by tire noise and vibrations, different noise and vibration generation and transmission mechanisms need to be well understood. In this chapter, we offer an introduction to these different generation, transmission, and amplification mechanisms. Some existing methods to characterize and to modify these mechanisms to improve the tire noise and vibration will be covered in the other chapters of this book.