Experimental investigations and computer simulations to solve acoustic problems in the modern church
Abstract
Architectural acoustics of contemporary sacred buildings is still an under-appreciated issue. Many contemporary churches are not functional enough due to acoustic defects which occur there. The study discusses issues of the modern Catholic church, where acoustic problems surface as high reverberant noise levels. The building under investigation, i.e. the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the biggest contemporary church in Poznań, Poland, as its internal volume amounts to 16,800 m³. On the basis of in situ investigations, a computer model of the church was built and a series of simulations were carried out to determine correct treatment in order to achieve satisfactory acoustic conditions. The main assumption was to find such a solution as not to affect the modernist architecture of the church.
Keyword : acoustic simulations, church acoustics, reverberation time, contemporary church, acoustic corrections
How to Cite
Sygulska, A., Czerniak, T., & Czarny-Kropiwnicki, A. (2018). Experimental investigations and computer simulations to solve acoustic problems in the modern church. Engineering Structures and Technologies, 10(1), 34-45. https://doi.org/10.3846/2029882X.2018.1445037
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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Alonso, A., Suárez, R., & Sendra, J. J. (2017). Virtual reconstruction of indoor acoustics in cathedral: The case of the Cathedral of Granada. Building Simulation, 10(4), 431-446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-016-0342-z
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Berardi, U. (2014), Simulation of acoustical parameters in rectangular churches. Journal of Building Performance Simulation, 7(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/19401493.2012.757367
Bradley, J. S. (1986). Predictors of speech intelligibility in rooms. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 80(30), 837-845. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.393907
Buenó, A. M., León, A. L., & Galindo, M. (2012). Acoustic Rehabilitation of the Church of Santa Ana in Moratalaz, Madrid. Archives of Acoustics, 37(4), 435-446. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10168-012-0055-y
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Carvalho, A. P. O., & Pino, J. S. O. (2012, August). Sound absorption of church pews. Proceedings of a meeting Inter Noise, New York City, USA.
Carvalho, A. P. O., Cruz M. T., & Pereira, G. C. G. (2012, July). Acoustic rehabilitation of middle twentieth century Portuguese churches. ICSV19, Vilnus, Lithuania.
Carvalho, A. P. O., & Nascimento, B. F. O. (2011, June). Acoustical characterization of the underground chapels of the new Holy Trinity church in the Fatima shrine, Portugal. Proceedings of Forum Acusticum, Aalborg, Denmark (pp. 1429-1434).
Cirillo, E., D’Alba, M., Della Crociata, S., & Martellotta, F. (2007, September). On-site measurements of absorption coefficients of pews with and without occupation. Satellite Symposium of the 19th International Congress on Acoustics, Seville, Spain.Cremer, L., & Müller, H. (1982). Principles and applications of room acoustics (Vol. 1). London – New York: Applied Science Publisher.
Desarnaulds, V., Carvalho, A. P. O., & Monay, G. (2002). Church acoustics and the influence of occupancy. Building Acoustics, 9(1), 29-47. https://doi.org/10.1260/135101002761035726
Due Schmidt, A. M., & Kirkegaard, P. H. (2005). From architectural acoustics to acoustical architecture using computer simulation, Building Acoustics 12(2), 85-98. https://doi.org/10.1260/1351010054037965
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Engel, Z., & Kosała, K. (2005). Acoustic properties of the selected churches in Poland. Mechanics, 24(3), 173-181.
Engel, Z., & Kosała, K. (2007). Index method of the acoustic quality assessment of sacral buildings. Archives of Acoustics, 32(3), 455-474.
Engel, Z., & Kosała, K. (2013). Assessing the acoustic properties of Roman Catholic churches: A new approach. Applied Acoustics, 74(10), 1144-1152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2013.03.013
Everest, F. A., & Pohlmann, K. C. (2009). Master handbook of acoustics (5th ed.). Mc Graw Hill, USA.
Gagliano, A., Nocera, F., Cicero, A., & Gioia, M. C. (2015). Proposals and analysis of the effects of acoustic corrections in a modern church. Building Acoustic, 22(3+4), 143-162. https://doi.org/10.1260/1351-010X.22.3-4.143
Gimenez, A., & Marin, A. (1988). Analysis and assessment of concert halls. Applied Acoustics, (25), 235-241. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-682X(88)90059-X
Horvat, M., Domitrovic, H., & Jambrosic, K. (2011). The improvement of acoustic situation in two modern churches, Proceedings of Forum Acusticum, Dania, Aalborg, 1439-1444.
Iannace, G. (2016). Acoustic correction of monumental churches with ceramic material: The case of the Cathedral of Beneven-to (Italy). Journal of Low Frequency Noise, Vibration and Active Control, 35(3), 230-239. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263092316661028
Iannace, G., Berardi, U., & Ianniello, C. (2015). Study of a historical church based on acoustic measurements and computer simulation. The 22nd International Congress on Sound and Vibration, Florence, Italy.
Kosała, K., & Kamisiński, T. (2011). Akustyka wielofunkcyjna wnętrz sakralnych, Czasopismo Techniczne/Politechnika Krakowska; Seria: Architektura. Zeszyt (11): 115 -122. (in Polish).
Kosała, K. (2017). A comparative analysis of the index assessment of church acoustics using RASTI and STI. Czasopismo Techniczne/Politechnika Krakowska. Seria: Architektura. Zeszyt, (6): 5-19. (in Polish).
Kulowski, A. (2011). Akustyka sal, zalecenia projektowe dla architektów (pp. 59-60). Wydawnictwo Politechniki Gdańskiej (in Polish).
Marshall, L. G. (1996). An acoustics measurement program for evaluating auditoriums based on the early/late sound energy ratio. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 4, 2251-2261.
Martellotta, F., Della Crociata, S., & D’Alba, M. (2011). On site validation of sound absorption measurements of occupied pews, Applied Acoustics, 72(12), 923-933. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2011.06.001
Martellotta, F., & Cirillo, E. (2009). Experimental studies of sound absorption by church pews, Applied Acoustics, 70, 441-449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2008.05.006
Martellotta, F., & Castiglione, M. (2011). On the use of paintings and tapesteries as sound absorbing materials. Forum Acusticum, Aalborg (pp. 1-4).
Martellotta, F., Cirillo, E., Carbonari, A., & Ricciardi, P. (2009). Guidelines for acoustical measurements in churches, Applied Acoustics, (70), 378-388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2008.04.004
Marciniak, P. (2010). Doświadczenia modernizmu. Architektura i urbanistyka Poznania w czasach PRL. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Miejskie (in Polish).
Odeon (version 2011). Room Acoustics Software, version 11. Combined edition by Christensen C. L., Odeon A/S, Scion DTU, Lyngby, Denmark.
Queiroz de Sant’Ana, D., Trombetta Zannin, P. H. (2011). Acoustic evaluation of a contemporary church based on in situ measurements of reverberation time, definition, and computer-predicted speech transmission index, Building and Environment, (46), 511-517.
Raczkowska, M. (2001). Rataje i Żegrze, Kronika Miasta Poznania, pod redakcją Jacka Wiesiołowskiego. Poznań: Poznańska Drukarnia Naukowa (in Polish).
Rychtáriková, M., Musabuda, M., & Ohrablo, F. (2003). Evaluation of a modern catholic church by acoustical software based on the ray-tracing method. Slovak Journal of Civil Engineering, (3), 21-25.
Schenone, C., Borelli, D., Pittaluga, I. (2016, September). Numerical and experimental acoustical analysis of a contemporary modern church. Proceedings of the 22nd International Congress on Acoustics, Buenos Aires (pp.1-10).
Sobczak, J. (2006). Kościoły Poznania. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Debiuty (in Polish).
Soeta, Y., Ito, K., Shimokura, R., Sato, S., Ohsawa, T., & Ando, Y. (2012). Effects of sound source location and direction on acoustic parameters in Japanese churches. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 131, 1206-1220. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3676697
Sygulska, A. (2014). Acoustic investigations of the contemporary churches in Poznań, Vibrations in Physical Systems, 26, 281-288.
Sygulska, A. (2015). Contemporary two-storey churches – acoustic investigations, Journal of Architecture and Urbanism, 39(2), 140-148. https://doi.org/10.3846/20297955.2015.1056444
Weitze, C. A., Rindel, J. H., Christensen, C. L., & Gade, A. C. (2002, September). The acoustical history of Hagia Sophia revived through computer simulation. Proceedings of the Forum Acusticum, Seville, Spain.
Wróblewska, D., & Kulowski, A. (2007). Czynniki akustyki w architektonicznym projektowaniu kościołów. Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo Politechniki Gdańskiej (in Polish).
Alonso, A., Sendra, J. J., Suárez, R., & Zamarreño, T. (2014). Acoustic evaluation of the cathedral of Seville as a concert hall and proposals for improving the acoustic quality perceived by listeners, Journal of Building Performance Simulation, 7(5), 360-378. https://doi.org/10.1080/19401493.2013.848937
Alonso, A., Sendra, J. J., & Suárez, R. (2014, September). Sound space reconstruction in the Cathedral of Seville for major feasts celebrated around the main chancel. Proceedings of Forum Acusticum, Krakow, Poland.
Alonso, A., & Martellotta, F. (2016). Room acoustic modelling of textile materials hung freely in space: from the reverberation chamber to ancient churches. Journal of Building Performance Simulation, 9(5), 469-486. https://doi.org/10.1080/19401493.2015.1087594
Alonso, A., Suárez, R., & Sendra, J. J. (2017). Virtual reconstruction of indoor acoustics in cathedral: The case of the Cathedral of Granada. Building Simulation, 10(4), 431-446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-016-0342-z
Alvarez-Morales, L., & Martellotta, F. (2015). A geometrical acoustic simulation of the effect of occupancy and source position in historical churches. Applied Acoustics, (91), 47-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2014.12.004
Berardi, U. (2014), Simulation of acoustical parameters in rectangular churches. Journal of Building Performance Simulation, 7(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/19401493.2012.757367
Bradley, J. S. (1986). Predictors of speech intelligibility in rooms. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 80(30), 837-845. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.393907
Buenó, A. M., León, A. L., & Galindo, M. (2012). Acoustic Rehabilitation of the Church of Santa Ana in Moratalaz, Madrid. Archives of Acoustics, 37(4), 435-446. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10168-012-0055-y
Buratti, C., Mariani, R., & Costarelli, I. (2006, July). The “Maria Regina Della Pace” church in Perugia: acoustic measurements and correction design. The Thirteen International Congress of Sound and Vibration, ICSV13-Vienna, Austria.
Carvalho, A. P. O., & Pino, J. S. O. (2012, August). Sound absorption of church pews. Proceedings of a meeting Inter Noise, New York City, USA.
Carvalho, A. P. O., Cruz M. T., & Pereira, G. C. G. (2012, July). Acoustic rehabilitation of middle twentieth century Portuguese churches. ICSV19, Vilnus, Lithuania.
Carvalho, A. P. O., & Nascimento, B. F. O. (2011, June). Acoustical characterization of the underground chapels of the new Holy Trinity church in the Fatima shrine, Portugal. Proceedings of Forum Acusticum, Aalborg, Denmark (pp. 1429-1434).
Cirillo, E., D’Alba, M., Della Crociata, S., & Martellotta, F. (2007, September). On-site measurements of absorption coefficients of pews with and without occupation. Satellite Symposium of the 19th International Congress on Acoustics, Seville, Spain.Cremer, L., & Müller, H. (1982). Principles and applications of room acoustics (Vol. 1). London – New York: Applied Science Publisher.
Desarnaulds, V., Carvalho, A. P. O., & Monay, G. (2002). Church acoustics and the influence of occupancy. Building Acoustics, 9(1), 29-47. https://doi.org/10.1260/135101002761035726
Due Schmidt, A. M., & Kirkegaard, P. H. (2005). From architectural acoustics to acoustical architecture using computer simulation, Building Acoustics 12(2), 85-98. https://doi.org/10.1260/1351010054037965
Engel, Z., Engel, J., Kosała, K., & Sadowski, J. (2007). Podstawy akustyki obiektów sakralnych. Kraków: ITE (in Polish).
Engel, Z., & Kosała, K. (2005). Acoustic properties of the selected churches in Poland. Mechanics, 24(3), 173-181.
Engel, Z., & Kosała, K. (2007). Index method of the acoustic quality assessment of sacral buildings. Archives of Acoustics, 32(3), 455-474.
Engel, Z., & Kosała, K. (2013). Assessing the acoustic properties of Roman Catholic churches: A new approach. Applied Acoustics, 74(10), 1144-1152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2013.03.013
Everest, F. A., & Pohlmann, K. C. (2009). Master handbook of acoustics (5th ed.). Mc Graw Hill, USA.
Gagliano, A., Nocera, F., Cicero, A., & Gioia, M. C. (2015). Proposals and analysis of the effects of acoustic corrections in a modern church. Building Acoustic, 22(3+4), 143-162. https://doi.org/10.1260/1351-010X.22.3-4.143
Gimenez, A., & Marin, A. (1988). Analysis and assessment of concert halls. Applied Acoustics, (25), 235-241. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-682X(88)90059-X
Horvat, M., Domitrovic, H., & Jambrosic, K. (2011). The improvement of acoustic situation in two modern churches, Proceedings of Forum Acusticum, Dania, Aalborg, 1439-1444.
Iannace, G. (2016). Acoustic correction of monumental churches with ceramic material: The case of the Cathedral of Beneven-to (Italy). Journal of Low Frequency Noise, Vibration and Active Control, 35(3), 230-239. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263092316661028
Iannace, G., Berardi, U., & Ianniello, C. (2015). Study of a historical church based on acoustic measurements and computer simulation. The 22nd International Congress on Sound and Vibration, Florence, Italy.
Kosała, K., & Kamisiński, T. (2011). Akustyka wielofunkcyjna wnętrz sakralnych, Czasopismo Techniczne/Politechnika Krakowska; Seria: Architektura. Zeszyt (11): 115 -122. (in Polish).
Kosała, K. (2017). A comparative analysis of the index assessment of church acoustics using RASTI and STI. Czasopismo Techniczne/Politechnika Krakowska. Seria: Architektura. Zeszyt, (6): 5-19. (in Polish).
Kulowski, A. (2011). Akustyka sal, zalecenia projektowe dla architektów (pp. 59-60). Wydawnictwo Politechniki Gdańskiej (in Polish).
Marshall, L. G. (1996). An acoustics measurement program for evaluating auditoriums based on the early/late sound energy ratio. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 4, 2251-2261.
Martellotta, F., Della Crociata, S., & D’Alba, M. (2011). On site validation of sound absorption measurements of occupied pews, Applied Acoustics, 72(12), 923-933. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2011.06.001
Martellotta, F., & Cirillo, E. (2009). Experimental studies of sound absorption by church pews, Applied Acoustics, 70, 441-449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2008.05.006
Martellotta, F., & Castiglione, M. (2011). On the use of paintings and tapesteries as sound absorbing materials. Forum Acusticum, Aalborg (pp. 1-4).
Martellotta, F., Cirillo, E., Carbonari, A., & Ricciardi, P. (2009). Guidelines for acoustical measurements in churches, Applied Acoustics, (70), 378-388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2008.04.004
Marciniak, P. (2010). Doświadczenia modernizmu. Architektura i urbanistyka Poznania w czasach PRL. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Miejskie (in Polish).
Odeon (version 2011). Room Acoustics Software, version 11. Combined edition by Christensen C. L., Odeon A/S, Scion DTU, Lyngby, Denmark.
Queiroz de Sant’Ana, D., Trombetta Zannin, P. H. (2011). Acoustic evaluation of a contemporary church based on in situ measurements of reverberation time, definition, and computer-predicted speech transmission index, Building and Environment, (46), 511-517.
Raczkowska, M. (2001). Rataje i Żegrze, Kronika Miasta Poznania, pod redakcją Jacka Wiesiołowskiego. Poznań: Poznańska Drukarnia Naukowa (in Polish).
Rychtáriková, M., Musabuda, M., & Ohrablo, F. (2003). Evaluation of a modern catholic church by acoustical software based on the ray-tracing method. Slovak Journal of Civil Engineering, (3), 21-25.
Schenone, C., Borelli, D., Pittaluga, I. (2016, September). Numerical and experimental acoustical analysis of a contemporary modern church. Proceedings of the 22nd International Congress on Acoustics, Buenos Aires (pp.1-10).
Sobczak, J. (2006). Kościoły Poznania. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Debiuty (in Polish).
Soeta, Y., Ito, K., Shimokura, R., Sato, S., Ohsawa, T., & Ando, Y. (2012). Effects of sound source location and direction on acoustic parameters in Japanese churches. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 131, 1206-1220. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3676697
Sygulska, A. (2014). Acoustic investigations of the contemporary churches in Poznań, Vibrations in Physical Systems, 26, 281-288.
Sygulska, A. (2015). Contemporary two-storey churches – acoustic investigations, Journal of Architecture and Urbanism, 39(2), 140-148. https://doi.org/10.3846/20297955.2015.1056444
Weitze, C. A., Rindel, J. H., Christensen, C. L., & Gade, A. C. (2002, September). The acoustical history of Hagia Sophia revived through computer simulation. Proceedings of the Forum Acusticum, Seville, Spain.
Wróblewska, D., & Kulowski, A. (2007). Czynniki akustyki w architektonicznym projektowaniu kościołów. Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo Politechniki Gdańskiej (in Polish).