The interior noise of a car is a general quality index for many OEM manufacturers. A reliable method for sound source ranking is often required in order to improve the acoustic performance. The final goal is to reduce the noise at some positions inside the car with the minimum impact on costs and weight. Although different methodologies for sound source localization (like beamforming or p-p sound intensity) are available on the market, those pressure-based measurement methods are not very suitable for such a complex environment.
Apart from scientific considerations any methodology should be also “friendly” in term of cost, time and background knowledge required for post-processing.
In this paper a novel approach for sound source localization is studied based on the direct measurement of the acoustic particle velocity distribution close to the surface. An airborne transfer path analysis is then performed to rank the sound pressure contribution from each sound source.
The method called “Scan & Paint TPA” makes use of only one probe that is swept along the surface. The reciprocal transfer functions are measured by a second sweep with the same probe and a monopole sound source in the driving position. A new methodology for applying “Scan & Paint TPA” in a complex acoustic environment is given along with an experimental validation in a car interior.