Use of SEA to Support Sound Package Design Studies and Vehicle Target Setting

Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) vehicle models are well-accepted tools for predicting the high-frequency interior acoustic effects of a design change to the structure or sound package of the vehicle. [1] SEA models do not strongly depend on geometric details, which allows SEA to be uniquely used as an analysis tool very early in the vehicle design phase to identify potential Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) issues caused by proposed changes to acoustic or vibration source levels, component materials, construction details, or sound package details of the vehicle. SEA models can also be used to suggest alternatives while the vehicle is still in the development stages to compensate for a predicted or known degradation to NVH in a vehicle due to a design or source level change. This paper presents a case study in which validation testing and an SEA model were combined to obtain recommendations for the most effective sound package changes to meet NVH targets. The motivation behind this study and the role and benefits of the SEA model are presented. An overview of standard uses of SEA for vehicle design for component-level and full-vehicle level is given. SEA model validation methodology and results are discussed. A description of the measurement test plan and methodology is provided. The use of the SEA model to predict combinations of sound package changes to compensate for changes and to reach NVH targets for a new vehicle and the corresponding results are presented. Conclusions from the work are summarized.