Automobile tire noise :

Abstract

Automobiles, the primary mode of transportation in the United States, contribute significantly to the noise environment due to th.e large number in operation.In this report, one aspect of automobile noise is discussed; namely, the contribution to overall vehicle noise resulting from the interaction of the tires with the road surface. Abstract AutomolDiles , the primary mode of transportation in the United States, contribute significantly to the noise environment due to the large number in operation.In this report, one aspect of automobile noise is discussed; namely, the contribution to overall vehicle noise resulting from the interaction of the tires with the road surface. The results of this pilot study, which investigated the influence of selected parameters on automobile tire noise levels, in conjunction with a review of the open literature, serve as the basis for comparison of parametric trends between truck (for which an extensive noise data base exists) and automobile tires. As was the case with trucks, vehicle speed, road surface characteristics and tread design are major factors affecting automobile tire noise. The effect of pavement surface is more significant for automobile tires than for trucks since the texture within the tire-road interaction zone is on the same scale as the tread element spacing typical of passenger car tires. Load and wear, significant factors for truck tires, do not affect automobile tires as much due to the fact that the majority of automobile tires utilize rib tread designs. On the basis of the limited data available in the literature, factors such as inflation pressure, number of plies, tire dimensions, tire cord material, etc., do not appear to be significant factors affecting automobile tire noise. 11 1.