Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Noise can cause short- and long-term health problems, such as sleep disturbance, cardiovascular effects, hearing impairment, and decreased work and school performance [1,2]. Both aircraft internal and exterior noise contribute to this problem. Additionally, in contrast to many other environmental problems, noise pollution continues to grow, due to overall increased use of air transportation. Many countries have created regulations on community noise, and specifically related to air transportation. The proposed research will enable the development and characterization of aircraft noise measurement technologies in low- and high-speed wind tunnels, aiming at validating and reducing the need for extensive flight tests, and evaluating newly designed structures for noise reduction. Bombardier Aerospace and MSD Aero Corporation will both benefit from the results of the current project. Bombardier is interested in minimizing the number of extensive and expensive flight tests required for noise measurements, and in reducing the noise levels in aircraft. MDS Aero is interested in exploring and minimizing the noise generation inside their engine test cell, and in particular inside the exhaust system. Carleton University has a High-Speed Wind Tunnel, unique in Canada. This facility is fundamental for this project, providing air flow speeds up to supersonic airflow levels. Various structures and measurement methodologies will be assessed in the wind-tunnel, and results compared with measured data from flight tests, empirical and numerical predictions. The outcomes from this project will bring an economic advantage to Bombardier, by reducing the number of required flight tests, and MDS Aero through an improved testing facility environment. The adoption of the optimized panel designs will improve the health and well-being of the general population impacted by aircraft noise. [1] W. Passchier-Vermeer and W. Passchier, ""Noise Exposure and Public Health"", Environmental Health Perspectives, 108(1): 123-131, 2000. [2] ""Burden of disease from environmental noise"", World Health Organization, 2011.