Experimental Development of a Unique Door Cavity Sound Absorber

Airborne sound traveling through vehicle doors was a significant source of unwanted noise entering the passenger compartment of Saturn vehicles. To reduce these sound pressure levels, several different noise controls were assessed using nonstandard acoustical tests. The noise controls tested include door trim absorbers, barrier watershields, and various noise controls applied in the door cavity. Only when the noise controls were applied in the door cavity were significant noise reductions seen. The final developed part for use in the door cavity further enhanced noise reduction by using a combination of sound absorption and sound transmission loss.