Perceptual validation of auralized heavy-duty vehicles

Paper in proceeding, 2015

Auralization is a valuable tool when evaluating the effect of traffic noise on people. The present study focuses on the validation of auralization of heavy-duty vehicles with a diesel engine. To capture the characteristics of the diesel engine a granular approach has been used. The granular approach has proven to be successful in a previous validation test examining two microphone positions around a still-standing truck. In the present study a granular approach was used to achieve pass-by noise at an artificial listening position alongside a Volvo truck (experiment 1) and pass-by noise inside an apartment (experiment 2). The aim of experiment 1 was to determine the number of interpolated sets of grains needed, in order to create a perceptually valid auralized signal. The results were used in the auralization of pass-by noise in an apartment in experiment 2. 20 and 15 participants respectively rated original recordings and auralized signals on four different attributes: realism, annoyance, and emotional response measured by valence and arousal. The results of both experiments suggest that auralizations of heavy-duty vehicles are successful and usable. It further indicates that what distinguish the auralized signals from the original recordings is mostly the arousal responses.