Simulated and laboratory models of aircraft sound transmission in residences

Current aircraft noise guidelines are based primarily on outdoor sound levels. As people spend the majority of their time indoors, however, human perception is highly related to indoor sound levels. Investigations are being made to provide further insight into how typical residential constructions affect indoor sound levels. A pilot, single-room “test house” has been built using typical mixed-humid climate region construction techniques and the outdoor-to-indoor transmission of sound was directly measured—with specific focus on continuous commercial aircraft signatures. The measurements included a variety of construction iterations (e.g., window type, wall construction) and a variety of instrumentation iterations (e.g., source and sensor locations). The results of this study are being used to validate and improve modelling software that simulates a wide range of construction types and configurations for other US climate regions. Overall, the project intends to improve the ability to predict acoustic performance for typical US construction types as well as for possible design alterations for sound insulation.