A new measurement method for separating airborne and structureborne aircraft interior noise

It is pointed out that interior noise levels of propeller driven aircraft are substantially higher than levels measured for other types of CTOL aircraft. Reduction of interior noise of such aircraft requires a knowledge of the relative importance of the acoustic and structural noise transmission paths. Noise entering the aircraft interior via an acoustic path is the noise radiated by an external noise source (propellers, exhaust noise), which propagates through the acoustic medium (air) and is then transmitted through the aircraft fuselage. This type of incoming noise is referred to as airborne noise. Noise entering the aircraft interior via a structural path is the noise which has its source in the vibrational energy which has been transmitted through the structure from a remote vibrational energy source (engines, wind flutter). This type of incoming noise is referred to as structureborne noise. A new method for separating airborne and structureborne noise is presented. It is based on two-microphone cross spectral acoustic intensity measurements.