Considerations Regarding the Analysis and Synthesis of Vehicle Acoustic Field

1

CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS
OF VEHICLE ACOUSTIC FIELD

Univ. Prof. eng. Ion COPAE PhD
Military Technical Academy, Bucharest, email: ioncopae@hotmail.com


The paper presents some aspects regarding the analysis of the acoustic field of vehicles, relying on algorithms specific to
time analysis, frequency analysis and time-frequency analysis; references to correlation analysis, cepstral analysis, coherence
analysis, extremal analysis, entropic and informational analysis of the sound level (emitted noise). The paper highlights some aspects
regarding the synthesis of vehicles acoustic field, which allowed for the establishment of mathematical models both discrete and
continuous which offers values to the sound level depending on the other functional parameters which define vehicle dynamic
behaviour (vehicle speed, acceleration and deceleration, throttles position, engine speed, fuel consumption etc.). To this purpose the
paper relies on experimental data gathered during tests conducted on vehicles that were fitted with electronically controlled engines,
and the establishments of mathematical models rely on system identification algorithms and dynamic processes.

Keywords: acoustic field, sound level, sound analysis, sound synthesis, mathematical modeling.
1. INTRODUCTION
The self-movement of vehicles is accompanied by the production of acoustic phenomena frequently
called noise; in what follows we will use the notion of acoustic field, which is a generalization [1; 3].
The paper herein aims at presenting some principal elements afferent to the analysis and synthesis of
the vehicles acoustic field. The paper beneficiates from the fact that data is gathered in real time from the
control elements and the transducers which are built-in the vehicle, and that date is accessed through
vehicles on-board computer. In order to write this paper we relied on the signal and system theories, and
also on concepts used in statistics, like system identification algorithms and dynamic processes. [4,5].
2. ACOUSTIC FIELD ANALYSIS
In this case we rely on data analysis methods, like time analysis, frequency analysis or time-
frequency analysis; frequency analysis (spectral analysis) includes classic monospectral analysis based on
Fourier transform, also bispectral analysis and cepstral analysis.
In order to establish the linear dependency we call on correlation and coherence analysis. In order to
set the non-linear dependency we call on data information and entropic analysis.
Having the aim of establishing the envelopes of the acoustic fields we rely on extremal analysis (the
theory of extreme values).
Figure 1a presents in overlay mode, the dynamic series that contain the experimental values of the
measured sound, for 40 tests which were carried out on a Daewoo Tacuma vehicle. Correspondent in figure
1b we present the dynamic series that contain the calculated sound level (noise) for 40 tests.
As we can see from the two graphs, for all 40 tests there are a total number of almost 10 million
experimental values and a total of more 60000 values which were obtained for the sound level. Also the
superior graph shows a variation within a margin [ 1; 1] he for experimental data, specific values to the
.wav type files which the acoustic operates.
The graphs presented in figure 1 shows the accentuated variation character for the acoustic field both
for the experimental one but also for the one which was calculated when the vehicle was moving. This aspect
suggests the fact that a vehicles acoustic field is nonlinear and nonstationary; thus the implications
concerning the analysis for the acoustic field (using the algorithms that highlight the nonlinearity and
applying bispectral and time-frequency analysis) and for its synthesis (establishing nonlinear mathematical
models and other models that have variable coefficients).

Ion COPAE
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Figure 1. Experimental acoustic field and sound level calculated for 40 tests

Frequently in order to see if the temporal intercorelation is of linear nature, correlation coefficient is
used, which, for two dynamic series x and y is being determined with the relation [1]:

(0)
(0) (0)
R
xy
R R
xx yy
= (1)
Having the values , a maximum possible intercorelation (a perfect linear dependency) being for
. In relation (1), the abaci represents the intercorelation function for t=0, and under the square root we
find the autocorrelation functions still for t=0, thus the origin; if x(t) and y(t) are centered dynamic series,
then under the square root we can find the dispersions D
x
and D
y
.
[ 1;1] e
2
1 =
Figure 2a presents the values for the correlation coefficients between the sound level and some
functional parameters. As we can see from the graph, the correlation coefficients are far from the unitary
value, and that means that there is an accentuated nonlinear dependency between the analyzed parameters.
For a comparison, figure 2b presents the values of the correlation coefficients between the vehicle speed and
some functional parameters. As we can see the correlation coefficients have higher values then the previous
ones, but still they are not equal to 1, which means that there is a slightly less accentuated nonlinear
dependency between the analyzed parameters. So, the targeted dependencies are more or less nonlinear, with
implications in the study of the acoustic field: it is necessary to perform a bispectral analysis, and the
mathematical synthesis models are predominant nonlinear.
Figure 3 presents the result of the bispectral analysis afferent to the noise produced during T19 test;
in this graph, the frequency band v
1
is assigned to the linear component, and v
2
represents the frequency band
assigned to the nonlinear component. In figure 3 the dynamic series of the sound level from figure 3 a, 3
rd

order cumulant (used by the bispectrum) in figure 3b, the bispectrum amplitude in figure 3c and the
bispectrum phase in figure 3d. According to the usual symmetrical representations, frequency v and time t
have negative vales (Fourier argument, the past respectively).
Considerations Regarding the Analysis and Synthesis of Vehicle Acoustic Field
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Figure 2. Correlation coefficients values




Figure 3. Bispectral sound analysis

The presented graphs confirm the existence in dynamic series of the acoustic field of a nonlinear part
[2]; if there were non nonlinear component then, for example, the graphs from figure 3b, figure 3c and figure
Ion COPAE
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3d would not contain images (they would be void). As we can see, the bispectral analysis, which uses the 3
rd

degree cumulant, noted C
3y
operated with a certain dynamic series y[n]:

( )
1 2
2 2
1 2
, ( , ) e e
3
3
j k j r
S C k r
y
y
k r
tu tu
u u = (2)

Where ke(,), re(,)
Time-frequency analysis (in this example through an in-plane spectrogram) allows the setting of
formants, which define the frequency area that bring significant energetic contributions. For example, figure
4b shows the establishment of F1F4 formants in the case of the T17 test, which is confirmed through
frequency analysis in figure 4a.



Figure 4. Frequency analysis, time frequency analysis, establishing formants
3. THE ACOUSTIC FIELD SYNTHESIS
The acoustic field synthesis, as a complementary field of analysis, ensures the mathematical
modelation of sound (noise), which permits the reconstruction/rebuilding of it under analytical form, table or
graphic form. In this case we rely on synthesis algorithms specific to the acoustic field, as well as to
identification algorithms and processes in order to establish the mathematical models to which the resulted
parameter is sound; the mathematical models can be discrete or extremal.
For example, figure 5b presents the result when applying the PVOC algorithm (Phase Vocoder
algorithm) for the acoustic field synthesis from figure 5a afferent to experimental test T11; the 1.03%
achieved error is an acceptable value. Figure 6b presents the result when applying LPC algorithm (Linear
Prediction Coding) when performing acoustic field synthesis in figure 6a correspondent to T9 test. Figure 6b
presents the discrete mathematical model (1), as well as expression (2) for the acoustic field synthesis. The
general form of a linear n degree self-regression (so we are talking about the general form of the model based
on the LPC algorithm) is:
1 1 2 2 3 3
...
k k k
y a y a y a y a y
n
k k n
= + + + +

(3)
Considerations Regarding the Analysis and Synthesis of Vehicle Acoustic Field
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As we can see from figure 6b, the achieved error using expression (2) is of 0.21%, which is
acceptable.


Figura 5. Acoustic field synthesis using PVOC algorithm



Figura 6. Acoustic field synthesis using LPC algorithm

A discrete model, but valid for 40 experimental tests, is given in figure 7; the multiple linear
regression from expression (1) ensures us an acceptable error of 0.24%.
In accordance with relation (1) from figure 7, the mathematical model afferent to the sound level for
the 40 tests is, with Z sound, n engine speed and the throttles position:

( ) 0,99833 ( 1) 0,000482 ( ) 0.0000396 ( ) Z k Z k k = + n k (4)
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Ion COPAE


Figure 7. Linear discrete model for the acoustic field synthesis

Similarly we ca deduct nonlinear discrete mathematical models, as well as continuous ones using
differential equations of a certain order, applying a system identification algorithm [2], for example
ARMAX.
4. CONCLUSIONS
Based on what we have presented we can conclude that it is possible to perform the vehicles
acoustic field analysis relying on time analysis, frequency analysis and time-frequency analysis.
The synthesis of the acoustic field beneficiates of specific algorithms to the acoustics, but we can
establish mathematical models, based on experimental data, which will highlight the dependence between the
acoustic dynamics and functional dynamics, the resulted parameter being noise, and amongst the factorial
parameters we can adopt those who define the vehicles movement.
REFERENCES
1. Beranek L. Acoustics. Woodbury, New York, 1996.
2. COPAE I., LESPEZEANU I, CAZACU C. Dinamica autovehiculelor. Editura ERICOM, Bucureti, 2006.
3. Kuttruff H. Acoustics. Taylor&Francis, New York, 2007.
4. LJUNG L. From Data to Model: A Guide Tour of System Identification. Department of Electrical Engineering, Linkoping
University, Sweden, 1995.
5. LJUNG L. System Identification Toolbox for Use with Matlab. http://mathworks.com, 2010.