Effects of rumble strip parameters on acoustics, vibration, and perception

Kasess Christian H.; Thomas, Maly; Piotr, Majdak; Holger, Waubke · 2021 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.1051/aacus/2021047

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Summary

This study investigates the acoustic, vibratory, and perceptual effects of rumble strips to optimize their design for driver alertness while minimizing noise annoyance for nearby residents. Rumble strips alert drivers through acoustic and tactile stimulation but can generate excessive exterior noise. The research addresses the challenge of identifying strip parameters that provide sufficient interior warning signals for both passenger cars and trucks without causing undue exterior disturbance, particularly focusing on the impact of groove geometry, spacing, and vehicle type. The methodology involved evaluating 16 rumble strip types, including cylindrical, sinusoidal, rounded, and irregularly spaced grooves. Measurements were conducted on a highway test track in Austria using a passenger car (BMW 320d) and a truck (MAN 84S). Interior and exterior noise emissions were recorded during controlled pass-overs, along with steering wheel and seat vibrations. Psychoacoustic parameters such as loudness, sharpness, roughness, and tonality were calculated. To expand the dataset, additional strip configurations were synthesized using simulations based on single-groove signals and boundary element method noise propagation models. A laboratory experiment with 16 listeners assessed perceived annoyance, urgency, and reaction time for the recorded and synthesized stimuli. The results indicate a high correlation between interior and exterior noise levels. Loudness level emerged as the strongest predictor of perceived annoyance and urgency. Sinusoidal strips produced the lowest acoustic emissions, with some variants yielding noise levels comparable to no strips at all. Irregularly spaced grooves successfully reduced tonality, a key factor in annoyance, though this design is difficult to manufacture. Crucially, the acoustic response varied significantly by vehicle type; while most strips generated sufficient acoustic effects in passenger cars, the response in trucks was markedly lower. This reduced acoustic effect in trucks was accompanied by low vibration levels, making it difficult to identify a single strip type that effectively alerts drivers in both vehicle categories. The study concludes that optimizing rumble strips for both passenger cars and trucks is challenging due to the divergent acoustic and vibratory responses of the two vehicle types. While irregular spacing can mitigate exterior annoyance by reducing tonality, the lack of a universal optimal strip design suggests that strip parameters may need to be tailored to specific vehicle types or traffic compositions. The findings highlight the importance of considering both interior alertness and exterior annoyance, as well as the distinct physical interactions between different vehicle masses and strip geometries, in future road safety and noise regulation policies.

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Topics

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• perceptual countermeasures
• auditory warnings