A novel hybrid fuzzy nonlinear weighted goal programming for optimising interior acoustics level in car cabin

Abstract

The factors that are normally considered by customers for comfortable driving upon purchasing a car are acoustical comfort and exposed vibration. Keeping this in mind, the level of noise annoyance in reference to the vehicle acoustical comfort index is proposed. This index can be categorized by five states which are generally used in the computation that involve acoustical levels in the car cabin. This study is carried out in order to improve this index by classifying and categorizing these five states using the fuzzy set theory approach. Besides, identified sources of vibration are usually linked with engine transmission and tire-road interaction. This study includes the observation on the effects of the vibration due to tire interaction with the road, as well as the pattern of the trends toward the experienced noise against the engine speed [rpm] at both stationary and non-stationary positions. A combination of fuzzy set theory and nonlinear programming has been employed to develop a multi-objective model of hybrid fuzzy nonlinear weighted goal programming. This developed model adopts the results that have been provided in order to optimize the acoustics level by referring to the vibration level which is required at a certain value of the engine speed [rpm]. The proposed model has a significant impact towards a better environment, in the perspective of acoustics – a key factor in vehicle manufacturing process.