Standardization of a Test Track Surface for Use During Vehicle Noise Testing

A group within the International Organization for Standardization has worked out a standard for a road surface intended to be used during vehicle noise measurements according to the ISO 362 and 7188 procedures. The surface should be equally suited for use in similar measuring procedures where full-throttle operation of vehicles is needed and where the influence of the surface on noise emission and propagation must be kept at a minimum.

Several test tracks have been laid according to the proposed specifications. A Round Robin Test has been conducted in which five cars and one truck were run on a number of test tracks in Europe and Japan. The results show that the surface meets the basic requirements of giving low tire/road noise while still having negligible sound absorption characteristics. Also, the site-to-site variability is low.

In this paper, the convener of the working group presents the work and a preliminary proposal. The final proposal is scheduled to be presented in the summer of 1991.