A simulation study on the influence of aircraft panel thickness on the cabin sound quality

Currently, noise control aims to optimise the psychoacoustic characteristics of aircraft interior noise to improve comfort and security during a flight. This study investigates the influence of transmission loss of aircraft panels on the sound quality of the cabin. We established an aircraft cabin acoustic model based on the statistical energy analysis method. The psychoacoustic parameters (i.e., loudness, sharpness, roughness, psychoacoustic annoyance, and articulation index) were simulated with the varying thickness of the aluminium alloy layer. Results showed that loudness and roughness significantly reduced, whereas sharpness increased with increasing thickness. The noise annoyance also declined as the thickness increased. However, the articulation index appeared a sudden drop when the thickness increased.