Transmission Loss of Vehicle Components Using Virtual SEA: Validation and Modeling Challenges

In the automotive industry, controlling noise transmission through vehicle components is essential for passenger comfort and regulatory compliance. Traditionally, Transmission Loss (TL) is estimated using simplified CAD-based metrics, which lack accuracy at high frequencies and for complex assemblies. This study presents an industrial application applying the Virtual SEA (Statistical Energy Analysis) method to evaluate TL for firewall. Modeling complex vehicle components introduces challenges, such as representing fluid-structure and trim interactions, with spatially varying trim thicknesses. The study discusses strategies for subsystem adaptation and analytical trim modeling, highlighting the importance of managing untrimmed zones and spatial averaging effects. The proposed workflow integrates laboratory measurements of trim materials, advanced subsystem definition, diffuse sound field excitation and radiation in free conditions. Virtual SEA results are systematically validated against Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations (where the frequency range is making it possible) and experimental data. Virtual SEA demonstrates strong correlation with FEM, especially at mid and high frequencies where FE starts to be cumbersome, confirming its suitability for industrial NVH applications. While some limitations remain—such as the inability to fully model mixed-component subsystems—ongoing research and practical workarounds are proposed. In conclusion, the Virtual SEA approach enables accurate and efficient TL prediction for vehicle components, supporting NVH targets and facilitating knowledge transfer to engineering teams. This work advances simulation-based acoustic transparency analysis for modern automotive design.