Feasibility of In-Situ Vehicle-Level Sound Transmission Loss Measurement to Guide Dash Pass-Through Grommet Selection

Noise transmission through the vehicle dash panel plays a critical role in isolating passengers from noise sources within the motor bay of the vehicle. Grommets that contain electrical harness routing as well as HVAC lines are examples of dash panel pass-throughs that should be selected with care. Acoustic performance of these components is generally characterized in terms of measured quantities such as noise reduction (NR), sound transmission loss (STL), and insertion loss (IL). These measurements need to be carried out per SAE or ASTM standards in appropriate anechoic or reverberant chambers as this is important for consistency. This work explores an in-situ measurement of the grommet STL performance in the vehicle environment. It utilizes a repurposed vehicle with its cabin retrofitted to serve as an anechoic chamber and its frunk acting as a reverberant chamber. Results of this in-situ measurement are then compared to measurements following industry standards to discuss the differences in results. The data is further analyzed to highlight advantages and disadvantages of this setup. The aim is to understand if this method can be used in the design & selection of pass-through grommets to provide directional input on STL performance.