Passenger discomfort response to combined noise and vibration

Abstract

A comprehensive research program has been conducted by NASA Langley Research Center to develop a fundamental understanding of human discomfort response to combined noise and vibration typical of that experienced within air and surface transportation systems. Results of this research program produced an empirical model of passenger ride comfort for use in the prediction and/or assessment of passenger ride comfort. The model is based on subjective ratings from more than 3000 persons who were exposed to controlled combinations of noise and vibration in the passenger ride quality apparatus at Langley Research Center. This model has the unique capability of transforming individual elements of a vehicle's noise and vibration environment into subjective units and then combining the subjective units to produce a single discomfort index typifying passenger acceptance of the environment. This paper discusses the approach and basic elements of the NASA ride comfort research program, describes the resultant model and its applications to real vehicles, and discusses a portable ride quality meter that is a direct hardware/software implementation of the NASA ride comfort model.