Human Comfort Model of Noise and Vibration for Sustainable Design of the Turboprop Aircraft Cabin

Abstract

In recent years, the aircraft industry has made significant advancements in technology in the context of fuel consumption, maintenance, and performance. The most promising developments in terms of fuel efficiency and minimization of emissions are through future generations of turboprop aircraft (i.e., those generating thrust from a propeller). One important drawback with turboprop aircraft is that they tend to have noisier cabins, and there is an increased level of discomfort from vibration due to the tonality that is present. Human comfort perception is a key factor for aircraft manufacturers in the design of airframes and aircraft interiors. Noise and vibration are major sources of discomfort in aircraft cabins; hence, aircraft manufacturers are seeking to estimate passenger discomfort based on noise and vibration measurements in order to optimize the aircraft design. The aim of this research study is focused on building a comfort model for aircraft to enable designers and engineers to optimize the passengers’ traveling experience. In this paper, an experimental laboratory study is presented, determining the relative importance of noise and vibration for the turboprop aircraft cabin. The results show that with the increase in noise levels and vibration magnitudes, the overall human discomfort also increased. A linear comfort model is presented, allowing for the prediction of overall discomfort from measurements of turboprop noise and vibration for the optimization of aircraft cabins.