Meeting Specifications

If you are an automotive company, a tire company, or a test track owner and you are involved with vehicle or tire exterior noise measurements then you must know about standard ISO 10844.

ISO 10844 Acoustics – Specification of Test Tracks for Measuring Noise Emitted by Road Vehicles and Their Tires

If you are an automotive company, a tire company, or a test track owner and you are involved with vehicle exterior noise measurements, then you must know about standard ISO 10844. Common vehicle pass-by noise testing (such as ISO 362 and ISO 13325) is required to be conducted on a test track conforming to ISO 10844. Characteristics of a test track can significantly influence the exterior vehicle noise measurement. In particular, pavement surface texture affects the noise generated by the tires. The shape, flatness, and sound absorption properties of the track affect how the sound propagates away from the vehicle. The purpose of the ISO 10844 standard is to specify the noise test track in a manner that minimizes the variation of vehicle noise measurements made at different testing locations.

ISO 10844:2021 and ISO 10844:2014 specify the essential characteristics of a test surface intended to be used for measuring vehicle and tyre or road noise emissions.

  • Composition of the pavement
    • Maximum chipping (aggregate) size
    • Sieve grading curve (gradation or job mix formula)
    • Wearing course thickness
  • Geometry
    • Size and shape
    • Proximity of large reflecting objects
    • Gradient and crossfall (longitudinal and transverse slope)
  • Surface properties
    • Surface irregularities (dips and bumps)
    • Surface texture (mean profile depth or MPD)
    • Sound absorption coefficient

If you conduct automotive or tire testing following any of these standards, then your track needs to conform to ISO 10844.

  • UN ECE Regulations –
    • UN ECE Reg 9, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of category L2, L4 and L5 vehicles with regard to noise
    • UN ECE Reg 41, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of motorcycles with regard to noise
    • UN ECE Reg 51, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of motor vehicles having at least four wheels with regard to their sound emissions
    • UN ECE Reg 63, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of two-wheeled mopeds with regard to noise
    • UN ECE Reg 117, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of tyres with regard to rolling sound emissions and/or to adhesion on wet surfaces and/or to rolling resistance
    • UN ECE Reg 138, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of Quiet Road Transport Vehicles with regard to their reduced audibility (QRTV)
  • ISO Standards –
    • ISO 362, Measurement of noise emitted by accelerating road vehicles
    • ISO 362-1, Measurement of Noise Emitted by Accelerating Road Vehicles – Engineering Method – Part 1: M and N Categories
    • ISO 362-2, Measurement of Noise Emitted by Accelerating Road Vehicles – Engineering Method – Part 2: L Category
    • ISO 362-3, Measurement of noise emitted by accelerating road vehicles – Engineering method – Part 3: Indoor testing M and N categories
    • ISO 5130, Measurements of sound pressure level emitted by stationary road vehicles
    • ISO 13325, Tyres – Coast-by Methods for Measurement of Tyre-to-Road Sound Emission
    • ISO 16254, Measurement of sound emitted by road vehicles of category M and N at standstill and low speed operation
  • SAE Standards –
    • SAE J336, Sound Level for Truck Cab Interior
    • SAE J366, Exterior Sound Level for Heavy Trucks and Buses
    • SAE J986, Sound Level for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
    • SAE J1470, Measurement of Noise Emitted by Accelerating Highway Vehicles
    • SAE J2805, Measurement of Noise Emitted by Accelerating Road Vehicles
    • SAE J2889, Measurement of Minimum Noise Emitted by Road Vehicles
  • Japan TRIAS – 
    • Japan TRIAS 09 – R117, External noise of tires · Frictional force on wet road · Test related to rolling resistance (Agreement Regulation No. 117)
    • Japan TRIAS 30 – J038, Proximity exhaust noise test
    • Japan TRIAS 30 – J039, Stationary running noise test
    • Japan TRIAS 30 – J040, Accelerated running noise test
    • Japan TRIAS 30 – R041, Noise test for motorcycles (Agreement Regulation No. 41)
    • Japan TRIAS 30 – R051, Examination on external noise standards for automobiles (Agreement Regulation No. 51)
    • Japan TRIAS 43(7) – R138, Vehicle approach report device test (Agreement Regulation No. 138)
  • GOST – 
    • GOST R 51616, Vehicles internal noise permissible levels and test methods – ГОСТ P 51616 – Автомобильные транспортные средства. Шум внутренний. Допустимые уровни и методы испытаний
    • GOST 27435, External Noise Of Motor Vehicles – Permissible Level And Methods Of Measurement – ГОСТ 27436 – Внешний шум автотранспортных средств. Допустимые уровни и методы измерений
    • GOST 27436, Internal Noise Of Motor Vehicles – Permissible Level And Methods Of Measurement – ГОСТ 27435 – Внутренний шум автотранспортных средств. Допустимые уровни и методы измерений
  • Other standards and regulations –
    • USDOT NHTSA FMVSS No. 141, Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.
    • 49 CFR 571, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
    • Transport Canada, Test Method 1106, Noise Emission Tests, for compliance with Standard 1106 of Schedule V.1 to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (CMVSS 1106)
    • US EPA 40 CFR 205, Transportation Equipment Noise Emission Controls
    • ASEP, Additional Sound Emission Provisions
    • EU Regulation No 540/2014, the sound level of motor vehicles and of replacement silencing systems. Amends EU Directive 2007/46/EC.
    • US EPA NBSIR 76, An Evaluation and Assessment of Existing Data and Procedures for the Measurement of Noise from Motorcycles
    • China GB 1495, Limits and measurement methods for noise emitted by accelerating motor vehicles – 汽车加速行驶车外噪声限值及测量方法（中国第三、四阶段）
    • China GB/T 22157, Acoustics—Specification of test tracks for measuring noise emitted by road vehicles and their tyres – 声学 测量道路车辆和轮胎噪声的试验车道技术规范
    • JIS D 8301:2013 (JSAE), Acoustics – Specification of test tracks for measuring noise emitted by road vehicles and their tyres
    • JIS D 1024-1:2016, Measurement of noise emitted by accelerating road vehicles – Engineering method – Part 1: M and N categories
    • DIN ISO 10844:2014, Acoustics – Specification of test tracks for measuring noise emitted by road vehicles and their tyres – Akustik – Anforderungen an Prüfstrecken zur Messung der Geräuschemission von Straßenfahrzeugen und ihren Reifen
    • Australian Vehicle Standard, Australian Design Rule 28/01 – External Noise of Motor Vehicles, 2006
    • Australian Vehicle Standard, Australian Design Rule 83/00 – External Noise, 2005
    • Brazil ABNT NBR 15145, Acoustics – Measurement of noise emitted by accelerating road vehicles – Engineering method – Acústica – Medição de ruído emitido por veículos rodoviários automotores em aceleração – Método de engenharia
    • Brazil ABNT NBR 9714, Road vehicle – Noise emitted in the stopped condition – Veículo rodoviário automotor – Ruído emitido na condição parado
    • Taiwan (ROC) CNS 5799 – Test method for noise level of motor vehicles – 機動車輛噪音量試驗法
    • GCC Standardization Organization GSO ISO 10844:2015 – Acoustics – Determination of test tracks for the measurement of noise from road vehicles and their tires – الصوتيات — تحديد مسارات الاختبار لقياس الضجيج الصادر من مركبات الطرق وإطاراتها

When you evaluate ISO 10844 for conformance, the following test standards are used.

  • ISO 13472-2, Measurement of sound absorption properties of road surfaces in situ – Part 2: Spot method for reflective surfaces
  • ISO 13473-1, Characterization of pavement texture by use of surface profiles – Part 1: Determination of mean profile depth
  • ISO 13473-3, Characterization of pavement texture by use of surface profiles – Part 3: Specification and classification of profilometer
  • ISO/TS 13473-4, Characterization of pavement texture by use of surface profiles – Part 4: Spectral analysis of surface profiles
  • CEN EN 13036-1, Road and airfield surface characteristics – Test methods – Part 1: Measurement of pavement surface macrotexture depth using a volumetric patch technique
  • CEN EN 13036-7, Road and airfield surface characteristics – Test methods – Part 7: Irregularity measurement of pavement courses: the straightedge test

The last day for conducting legal tests for type approval/homologation on tracks certified to an older ISO 10844 version:

  • February 13, 2019 for UNECE R117
  • June 30, 2019 for UNECE R51
  • June 30, 2019 for UNECE R138
  • January 19, 2021 for UNECE R9
  • January 19, 2021 for UNECE R41
  • January 19, 2021 for UNECE R63

After the date listed, ISO 10844:2014 is required.

The latest version of ISO 10844 for pass-by noise test tracks has many requirements, some of which can be confusing. Our ISO 10844 conformance test services are capable of measuring them all, including macrotexture MPD using the profile method and sound absorption coefficient using the impedance tube method. We can also assist in design and specifications for new or rehabilitated pass-by noise tracks and minimize your risk of not conforming to the ISO standard.

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Are you constructing a new pass-by noise test track, rehabilitating an existing track, or need your ISO 10844 test track certified?

Call us at +1 (512) 451 6233 or use the form to send us a message.