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A series of tests have been performed on a production vehicle to determine the characteristics of the external turbulent flow field in wind tunnel and road conditions. Empirical formulas are developed to use the measured data as source levels for a Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) model of the vehicle structural and acoustical responses. Exterior turbulent flow and acoustical subsystems are used to receive power from the source excitations. This allows for both the magnitudes and wavelengths of the exterior excitations to be taken into account - a necessary condition for consistently accurate results. Comparisons of measured and calculated interior sound levels show good correlation.

Wind noise reaches the interior of a vehicle through a variety of mechanisms including: aerodynamic excitation of vibration and reradiation from the greenhouse surfaces; acoustic transmission through door seals including gaps and glass edge leaks, and due to airborne transmission of noise generated by wind interaction with body panels. This paper presents experimental results that quantify contributions to interior noise from individual greenhouse surfaces and from airborne sources on the underbody. The measurements were carried out on a production vehicle in a wind tunnel. Greenhouse surfaces, in addition to the driver window are important contributors to interior noise along with airborne transmission of noise generated due to the flow over and through the vehicle underbody.