Drivetrain Noise Source Identification and Active Noise Control of a Heavy Off-Road Vehicle

Drivetrain noise from heavy off-road vehicles mainly includes engine noise, drive shaft noise, wheel-side gear noise, tire pattern noise etc. They are the main noise sources for such vehicles as they greatly influence the ride comfort of the passengers inside. This paper solved the drivetrain noise problems of a heavy off-road vehicle using the method of active noise control (ANC). Firstly, the vehicle is benchmarked and the noise problems are analyzed, while the noise sources are identified by analyzing the transmission principles of the drivetrain. Secondly, ANC strategies are made for the vehicle based on the noise profiles under various operating conditions. Thirdly, the multiple parameters for ANC are computed from simulations modeling the vehicle in idle, constant speed and acceleration respectively. Lastly, road tests are conducted using the multiple parameters from the simulations and a noise reduction of 2-4 dB can be achieved in the whole vehicle. The results has shown that ANC is an effective method for drivetrain noise reduction in heavy off-road vehicles as this paper provides references for the systematic solution dealing with such problem.