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Recent advancements in system-level NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) development methodologies have improved target cascading and enabled more efficient system-level optimization. Dynamic substructuring facilitates the virtual integration and modification of multiple subsystems and the prediction of changes in overall transfer functions. In practical automotive applications, advanced frequency-based substructuring has been applied to virtually modify system parameters, such as mass and stiffness, at multiple points in a target system, allowing prediction of the resulting effects and optimization of parameter changes without physical intervention. This study extends the methodology by introducing an enhanced substructuring approach capable of addressing not only basic parameter modifications but also large-scale structural changes. The proposed process involves identifying the characteristics of a base system assembly and a target subsystem, decoupling the subsystem from the
Cho, MunhwanBoelens, JelleReichart, Ronde Klerk, DennisAhn, Jiho
As acoustic requirements for NVH trim components become increasingly constrained by mass, cost, and sustainability targets, traditional approaches to inner dash design based on spatially averaged Transmission Loss (TL) metrics are reaching their practical limits. In fully built vehicles, the acoustic performance of the inner dash is governed by its global insulation capability but also by strong spatial heterogeneity and its interaction with spatially distributed noise sources such as the power unit, gearbox, and tyre-road excitation. This paper presents a test-based methodology for the spatial optimisation of inner dash acoustic performance using reciprocal holography. By applying a calibrated sound power source within the vehicle cabin and measuring the reciprocal response in the engine bay and wheel-arch regions, a high-resolution spatial Transmission Loss “hologram” of the inner dash is obtained under in-situ conditions. The resulting spatial data enables the identification of
Harry, EvanEandi, Giacomo
Noise pollution is a major environmental and health challenge, yet its strong spatial and temporal variability makes comprehensive mapping highly complex. Current approaches under the European Noise Directive (END) provide only partial coverage and often lack temporal dynamics. The NoiseSphere project, funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG, develops an AI-based methodology for dynamic, large-scale noise prediction and mapping. A machine learning model is trained on heterogeneous data sources, including semantically enriched open Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, OpenStreetMap road data and existing noise maps. The model is refined through integration of noise emission data and validated using targeted in-situ measurements. A case study in an urban environment (Graz, Austria) demonstrates the model’s applicability. By combining remote sensing, traffic dynamics, and machine learning, NoiseSphere enables predictive noise mapping even in regions not covered by current
Girstmair, Josef
In vehicles with electrified powertrains, high-frequency tonal noise components have become increasingly prominent and can be perceived as particularly annoying by the driver. While recent advancements in international standardization — such as ECMA-74 [1] and ECMA-418 [2] — have led to powerful new algorithms for tonal noise visualization and analysis, including Tonality-Heatmaps, the measurement side still lacks sensor setups that adequately reflect the spatial sensitivity of noise, especially for tonal components. This challenge is amplified in enclosed vehicle cabins, where room modes create local minima and maxima that become increasingly dense at higher frequencies. As a result, even small head movements can lead to noticeable differences in perceived tonal noise. Current measurement approaches do not sufficiently account for this spatial variability. This contribution addresses the absence of tailored solutions for the driver’s position by introducing an improved microphone
Schecker, DanielRittenschober, Thomas
Realistic seat vibration reproduction is essential for delivering authentic haptic cues and enhancing driver immersion in driving simulators. Unlike direct playback of road recordings, simulator applications require vibration synthesis that responds interactively to driver inputs and vehicle dynamics. Reproducing these vibrations at the seat is often complicated by actuator bandwidth limitations and the dynamic behaviour of the seat structure itself, which can alter the intended target response. This work presents vibration synthesis and seat dynamics compensation strategies implemented on a single-axis seat vibration reproduction system equipped with a vertical actuator. Frequency Response Functions (FRFs) were measured to characterise the system dynamics under single-axis excitation. Run-up and coast-down tests were conducted on the seat and compared to target responses measured on an actual vehicle under operational conditions. Several seat dynamics compensation strategies were
Muthu Chaiphas, Joshua DanielCuenca, JacquesBianciardi, FabioColangeli, ClaudioDeckers, ElkeDenayer, HervéJanssens, Karl
In this study, we propose a methodology for predicting the acoustic modes and natural frequencies of a sedan using artificial intelligence and demonstrate the feasibility of controlling its acoustic characteristics by modifying the hole distribution of the package tray. In typical sedan structures, the cabin cavity and trunk cavity are acoustically coupled through holes in the package tray. The distribution of these holes significantly affects the natural acoustic modes and frequencies of the vehicle. However, once the exterior shape of the vehicle is finalized during the design stage, options for structural modifications to mitigate noise issues caused by these modes become extremely limited. To address this challenge efficiently, we develop a deep learning-based neural network model trained on data derived from a simplified acoustic analysis model of a sedan that includes a package tray. Finite element analysis is performed to generate acoustic modes and natural frequencies, which
Lee, Jin WooCho, JaehoNam, YounsicHan, Yongha
The effect of backing polyurethane (PU) foam material properties on the insertion loss of acoustic insulation pads was investigated. First, the material properties affecting the resonant frequency, which mainly determines the insertion loss, were theoretically identified, and practical methods for calculating both the resonant frequency and the insertion loss of the insulation pad were developed. These methods were then applied to evaluate how changes in material properties influence the resonant frequency and insertion loss of the insulation pad. It was found that Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and thermal characteristic length are the primary material properties that affect these outcomes. The optimal levels of these properties, which are beneficial for interior noise reduction, are derived and presented in this study.
Chae, Ki-SangLee, MoonseokKim, Hyunwoo
When developing a vehicle, the overall body stiffness is an important parameter to be estimated for several automotive attributes. As a complement to the traditional experimental and computational static torsional stiffness assessment, an improved method has been developed to evaluate the body stiffness when driving the vehicle on a test track. This method, valid for both test and simulation, is called Opening Distortion Fingerprint (ODF) and uses the so-called Multi Stethoscope (MSS) to measure the dynamic distortion in each body closure opening and cross section. For evaluating the distortion, from both test and Multi Body Dynamics (MBD) simulation data, the Evaluation-line (E-line) method is used. The E-line method is a linear approach. Consequently, it is only valid in the absence of large rigid body rotations of the vehicle body. Therefore, to assess the validity of the ODF method, it is crucial to identify the frequency at which the distortion results become invalid due to rigid
Olger, EmmaLindkvist, LisaPiiroinen, PetriKarypidis, JohnPena, MiltonBäcklund, JesperAppelgren, PeterMarberg, HenrikUgale, PravinWeber, Jens
The vibro-acoustic performance of a vehicle is a critical factor in customer perception of quality and comfort, yet optimizing for Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH)—specifically road noise—presents a persistent challenge in the modern automotive development cycle. While advanced Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis is essential, the increasing complexity and volume of CAE simulation data often overwhelm manual interpretation, potentially leading to prolonged development times or compromises in final comfort quality. To address these challenges, this paper introduces the application of CDH/ACE (Autonomous Computational Experiments), a framework that integrates conventional CAE simulation workflows with advanced machine learning in an iterative, cyclic process. This creates an exceptionally user-friendly and self-correcting system that autonomously defines, performs, and learns from computational experiments. By leveraging machine learning algorithms to build robust predictive models
Visser, Rene
Simulations can only be searched, reused and leveraged as training data for machine learning methods if suitable metadata are related. Manually obtaining these metadata is time-consuming and requires expert knowledge. Consequently, there often is a lack of metadata and this prohibits the reutilization of simulation data. Therefore, automated frameworks for metadata extraction are essential to obtain metadata information quickly, effortlessly and cost-efficiently. At present, there are no toolboxes for Finite-Element-Simulation data. Nevertheless, machine learning methods are a promising solution for this task. Training classical supervised machine learning methods for metadata generation often faces the lack of labeled data since manual labelling can be very costly. Therefore, rule-based extraction algorithms are used as an alternative for fundamental metadata extraction. For more enhanced tasks they are often not feasible. Active Learning is a suitable technique to overcome this
Luegmair, MarinusGröttrup, Sören
Monitoring inputs and states of a structural dynamic system is often challenging, as direct measurements are costly or even infeasible. A virtual sensing methodology is presented for jointly estimating the input and state of a structure when subjected to multi-directional base excitations. The approach uses a tuned Kalman Filter combined with a model-order reduction of the system model to ensure a low computational cost whilst allowing accurate estimation from a limited number of acceleration measurements. This enables real-time virtual health monitoring strategies and reduction in instrumentation during data acquisition without additional information such as location and direction of application about the inputs. The proposed methodology is validated numerically and experimentally using a notched aluminum beam excited on a multi-directional shaker table, driven simultaneously in two in-plane directions. The study demonstrates accurate full-field estimation of multiple responses along
Salazar Colunga, RodrigoPandiya, NimishDindorf, ChristianNaets, Frank
For analysing flow and acoustic induced structural vibration, a fully run time coupled framework combining a hybrid CFD-CAA approach with a modal response simulation was validated and presented at the ISVNH 2022 (SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-0938). In this paper i We apply this CFD–CAA–modal coupling method to a series-representative bonnet geometry and demonstrate its capability to capture flow and aeroacoustically driven vibration with two-way coupling. ii We analyse the modal properties of the bonnet and show that confined air volumes beneath the bonnet can introduce significant fluid loading effects, which are already embedded in experimentally validated FE modal models and must therefore be treated carefully in two-way coupled simulations. iii We validate the fully coupled aeroelastic simulation against wind-tunnel measurements with undisturbed inflow, show close agreement with the measured vibration response and analyse that the dominant excitation is in this case from below the
Schwertfirm, FlorianOcker, JoergHartmann, Michael
Simplicity and electrification of the propulsion system are one of the most important trends in vehicle development and integration process. The complexity of NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) design and refinement is the core challenge to this process. Customers’ expectations of an unnoticeable engine during driving make this challenge more critical [1]. Apart from the overall sound pressure level, the sound quality is even more important due to the lack of noise masking effects [2]. Therefore, the development team has reached an internal consensus that NVH attributes are the top priority in engine development. This paper describes the NVH development process of a dedicated hybrid engine for the range extender electric vehicle (REEV) application, beginning with an introduction to REEV system as well as the operating condition data of long-distance road tests. Based on the road test data, the engine technical specification is defined accordingly and broken down into design targets
Wang, HaoZhang, Guiqiang
Vehicle electrification and increasing demands for driving comfort present significant challenges for designing effective noise control treatments (NCTs) in modern vehicles. Lightweight, low-emission designs often compromise acoustic efficiency. A popular and efficient way of compensating for this is through the use of multi-layer ‘trim’ material configurations to noise radiating surfaces to mitigate noise across a wider frequency range. Traditional 3D finite element models, while accurate and even needed to capture the full dynamic behaviour, become computationally prohibitive for complex automotive structures like firewalls, which feature intricate shapes, high curvature, and material compression. This computational burden limits design exploration and timely noise performance predictions. To overcome these limitations, this paper presents an innovative adaptive higher-order finite element method to evaluate the sound transmission loss (STL) of automotive, including the effect of
Van Genechten, BertVansant, KoenPurohit, BimalEffinger, Veronika
The virtual development of Electric Drive Modules (EDMs) for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) requires proven and predictive methodologies. One part of the development investigates the vibro-acoustic assessment for the low- and high-frequency ranges within the targeted operating range. The efficient use of such a methodology requires an understanding of the accuracy and validity of the achievable results, as well as the derivation of suitable improvement measures for goals that have not been achieved. The use of reference data from experimental investigations and a detailed root cause analysis (RCA), to directly link a specific response and behavior to the excitations, modal content, and transfer functions, is an essential and non-trivial part of the methodology development. This paper describes the development of such a methodology using the example of a new EDM virtual model for Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) analysis, including the simulation approach, validation, and
Klarin, BorislavPevec, DenisResch, ThomasEsposito, SaraD'Alessandro, VincenzoSpanu, Giorgio
This work presents a modular engineering methodology (DiPhyBa - Digital Physical Balance) for the virtual validation of Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) performance in automotive development. The approach addresses the inefficiency of repeated physical testing across vehicle variants by introducing a structured two-phase process—Launcher and Reskin—centered on quantitative performance indicators with formal acceptance thresholds. In the Launcher phase, a digital replica of the base vehicle is built and iteratively correlated with physical test data. Validation is governed by objective indicators of confidence, conformity, and correlation, each evaluated against predefined thresholds. Once validated, the model becomes a certified reference, enabling its reuse across derivative configurations in the Reskin phase. Physical testing is only required if indicators fall below threshold, with a final gate test on pre-series vehicles ensuring industrial robustness. DiPhyBa formalizes the
Celiberti, LuciaCamia, Andrea
Because of automotive electrification, fan system noises previously hidden by the internal combustion engine could become key contributors to the overall noise behavior. Metrics like overall sound pressure level or Loudness are first order metrics enabling noise ranking. Yet, second order factors, that are relevant to assess annoyance, are not correctly described using a single criterion. This paper studies the applicability of various psychoacoustic annoyance models in an attempt to address the subjective perception of sound quality. Based on pairwise comparisons through a jury test with a set of 8 noises at similar overall levels, the combined impact of several psychoacoustics metrics was previously determined. This computation includes a signal modulation metric, a frequency content balance and a tonal criterion. To complete this approach, the correlation for fan system noise annoyance ranking based on this jury test is compared with several psychoacoustic annoyance criteria. These
Scouarnec, DenisBennouna, Saad
The increasing electrification of vehicles means that heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems have a broader range of tasks and a different priority assessment. In electric cars, air conditioning systems are not only responsible for cooling the passenger compartment, but also for controlling the battery temperature, particularly during rapid charging, which represents a high-load operating point. Furthermore, achieving high thermodynamic efficiency is desirable, as this directly impacts the range of electric cars. The elimination of the combustion engine as a major source of noise prioritizes the noise, vibration and harshness behavior of the refrigerant compressor for product selection. To investigate the vibration and acoustic behavior, as well as the fluid dynamic forces resulting from the cyclic compression principle of an electric refrigerant compressor, a test rig was developed that allows compressors to be operated and measured in isolation in an anechoic chamber under
Beer, GabrielSaur, LukasSchwarz, ManuelZemsch, StefanBecker, Stefan
The rapid electrification of the automotive industry introduces new challenges in noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). In particular, in a virtual prototyping phase of the e-vehicles development, the rubber mounts are often one of the key elements to be considered when analysing the structure borne noise contributions. Having an accurate experimental characterization of the mount dynamic stiffness curves is therefore very relevant. However, conventional mount characterization methods are often pushed to their limits, partly due to the use of stiffer bushings, and partly because the frequency range of interest is extended toward higher frequencies. When using inverse substructuring, the dynamic stiffness curves can be obtained from frequency response function measurements. The required test setup consists of excitations and responses, located on each side of the mount via dedicated fixtures. The measured frequency response functions are reduced into 6 degrees of freedom representation
Bianciardi, FabioForrier, BartMinervini, DomenicoBarbieri, MarcoJanssens, Karl
This study investigates the NVH characteristics of the spline coupling that connects the motor and reducer shafts in an electric drive unit, using flexible multibody dynamics simulations. Focusing on the source stage of the NVH analysis process, the excitation force magnitude and spline trajectory are examined under various spline design conditions. The study compares spline fit types (side fit vs. major fit), clearance vs. interference conditions, and variations in tooth number and module size. This study analyzes the overall behavior of spline excitation forces under various design conditions, complementing prior research focused mainly on specific causes or manufacturing improvements. Side fit splines exhibit lower first-order excitation forces compared to major fit splines, but significantly higher excitation forces at higher orders. This leads to increased spline trajectory amplitude and amplified whirling of the input shaft. Since the input gear is directly coupled to the input
Kim, Dong-JunHwang, Seung GyuKim, DongheeKim, Seon HyeongLee, SangHanGrant, GeorgeHalse, Christopher
In electrified vehicles, auxiliary components can represent a dominant source of noise, one of which is the refrigerant scroll compressor. Compared with vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines, electrified vehicles require larger refrigerant compressors, as thermal management is needed not only for the passenger compartment but also for the battery and electric drive components. Excitation mechanisms within the compressor, arising from the cyclic compression process and the eccentric motion of the scroll, induce housing vibrations and result in airborne sound radiation. To investigate the vibroacoustic noise generation mechanisms of a scroll compressor, operational vibrations were analysed using accelerometers and three-dimensional laser scanning vibrometry. In addition, the radiated sound was characterised using microphones and near-field sound intensity measurements. The results demonstrate a strong correlation between surface vibrations and airborne sound radiation, with
Saur, LukasBeer, GabrielFritzsche, MarcoBecker, Stefan
High-frequency whine from electric drive systems has become a critical issue restricting the improvement of vehicle sound quality. Traditional evaluation methods struggle to accurately identify masked whine risks in the early research and development (R&D) phase, due to incomplete hardware of prototype vehicles and high interior background noise. This often leads to problems being delayed until the mass production stage, resulting in high rectification costs. To address this issue, this paper proposes and validates an early risk assessment method based on the Tone-to-Noise Ratio (TNR). First, the generation mechanism of Electric Drive (E-Drive) whine is systematically analyzed, identifying the electromagnetic noise of the electric motor and the gear whine of the reducer as the two dominant noise sources. To address this bottleneck, the TNR psychoacoustic metric is introduced to quantify the perceptual salience of tonal noise relative to background noise, which effectively mitigates the
Yun, ZhaoHui, HuiGao, PanXiao, ZhongdiZan, ChenTeng, Charlie
Achieving best-in-class Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) in electric powertrains demands a paradigm shift in development methodology. This paper presents a practice-oriented overview of simulation methods in NVH development methodology for electric drive units. This includes target cascading and multi-objective optimisation, and by attacking NVH at the source using KPIs early in the design cycle, significant reductions in development time and reliance on traditional testbed loops are realised. Machine learning (Neural Network) algorithms are utilized to find the best-in-class design, using multi-objective optimisation as well as refining simulation accuracy by adding tolerance effects while target cascading ensures alignment of system-level performance objectives down to subsystem contributions. Combined, these strategies enable rapid and robust NVH optimisation, using simulation for next-generation electric powertrain development. Several applications and real-life examples
Mehrgou, MehdiGarcia de Madinabeitia, InigoGraf, BernhardGojo, Josef
The simulation of structure-borne energy flow within a full vehicle trimmed body at mid and high frequencies has always been a challenge due to the large computational cost associated with standard deterministic simulations. This is a particularly pressing problem given that the electrification of the vehicles is extending the presence of structure-borne sources to higher frequencies. While the improvement of computational hardware has allowed OEMs to shift the limit of standard Finite Element (FE) approaches to higher frequencies, no methods have been proposed in the literature that tackle the full frequency range for industrial-sized problems. In this paper, a simulation methodology that uses wave-based processing of the original low-frequency finite element input deck to compute the coupling loss factors is proposed to model structure-borne noise in complex systems at mid and high frequencies. The methodology is validated against numerical and experimental data.
Errico, FabrizioLegault, JulienMordillat, PhilippeZerrad, Mehdi
Space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) induces common-mode voltage (CMV) in three-phase voltage-source inverters, producing steep voltage edges that can lead to high leakage currents. In electric drive applications, these currents accelerate motor bearing degradation and may cause winding insulation failure. Active-zero-state PWM (AZSPWM) and near-state PWM (NSPWM) have been proposed as alternative modulation strategies to mitigate CMV and reduce drive degradation. This paper investigates the noise, vibration, and harshness performance of AZSPWM and NSPWM in comparison with conventional SVPWM. The proposed CMV reduction schemes are evaluated in terms of both CMV mitigation and their impact on high-frequency sideband vibration harmonics. Experimental results demonstrate that the CMV reduction strategies are highly effective in lowering CMV levels relative to SVPWM; however, this benefit is accompanied by an increase in vibration levels, which may adversely affect the mechanical
Khamis, Mahmoud AlyTatar, Andrei AlexandruRepecho, VictorDoria-Cerezo, Arnau