1. © Measurement Of Acoustical Characteristics Of Mosques In Saudi Arabia Abdou, AA ACOUSTICAL SOC AMER AMER INST PHYSICS, JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA; pp: ; Vol: 113 King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals Summary The study of mosque acoustics, with regard to acoustical. characteristics, sound quality for speech intelligibility, and other applicable acoustic criteria, has been largely neglected. In this study a background as to why mosques are designed as they are and how mosque design is influenced by worship considerations is given. In the study the acoustical characteristics of typically constructed contemporary mosques in Saudi Arabia have been investigated, employing a well-known impulse response. Extensive field measurements were taken in 21 representative mosques of different sizes and architectural features in order to characterize their acoustical quality and to identify the impact of air conditioning, ceiling fans, and sound reinforcement systems on their acoustics. Objective room-acoustic indicators such as reverberation time (RT) and clarity (C-50) were measured. Background noise (BN) was assessed. with and without the operation of air conditioning and fans. The speech transmission index (STI) was also evaluated with and without the operation of existing sound reinforcement systems. The existence of acoustical deficiencies was confirmed and quantified. The study, in addition to describing mosque acoustics, compares design goals to results obtained. in. practice and suggests acoustical target values for mosque design. The results show that acoustical quality in the investigated mosques deviates from optimum conditions when unoccupied, but is much better in the occupied condition. (C) 2003 Acoustical Society of America. References: 1988, 268 IEC SOUND SYS 16 Copyright: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals;

© *DOC MIN ISL AFF, END DAW GUID MIAEGD *ISO, 1997, 3382 ISO ABDELAZEEZ MK, 1991, J ACOUST SOC AM, V90, P1441 ABDOU A, 1996, J ACOUST SOC AM, V100, P3215 ABDOU A, 1999, P S MOSQ ARCH, V6, P73 ANDERSON J, 1985, RASTI MEASUREMENTS S BARNETT PW, 1997, J ACOUST SOC AM, V101, A3050 BARRON M, 1984, APPL ACOUST, V17, P165 BISTAFA SR, 2000, J ACOUST SOC AM, V107, P861 BRADLEY JS, 1986, J ACOUST SOC AM, V80, P837 BRADLEY JS, 1986, J ACOUST SOC AM, V80, P846 BRADLEY JS, 1998, J AUDIO ENG SOC, V46, P396 CARVALHO APO, 1994, P W C SAB S 127 M AC, P311 CARVALHO PO, 1997, J ACOUST SOC AM 2, V101, A3051 EGAN MD, 1998, ARCHITECTURAL ACOUST, P370 ELBASHIR A, 1995, P 4 SAUD ENG C KINGD, V1 FRENCH NR, 1947, J ACOUST SOC AM, V19, P90 GALINDO M, 1999, J BUILD ACOUST, V6, P1 GUY RW, 1994, P INT NOIS 94 YOK JA, P1851 HAMMAD RNS, 1990, APPL ACOUST, V30, P335 HODGSON M, 1999, J ACOUST SOC AM 1, V106, P1810 HODGSON M, 1999, J ACOUST SOC AM, V105, P226 HOUTGAST T, 1985, J ACOUST SOC AM, V77, P1069 IBRAHIM HM, 1979, PLANNING STANDARDS M KING GRD, 1986, HIST MOSQUES SAUDI A KLEPPER DL, 1996, J ACOUST SOC AM, V99, P417 KUTTRUFF H, 1991, ROOM ACOUSTICS, P164 LOCHNER JPA, 1964, J SOUND VIBRATION, V1, P426 PEUTZ VMA, 1971, J AUDIO ENG SOC, V19, P915 RIFE DD, 1987, MAXIMUM LENGTH SEQUE, P86 SERGELD I, 1996, ARCHITECTURE CONT MO SMITH BJ, 1988, ACOUSTICS NOISE CONT, P34 STEENEKEN HJM, 1980, J ACOUST SOC AM, V67, P318 STEENEKEN HJM, 1985, TECHNICAL REV, P13 STEIN B, 1992, MECH ELECT EQUIPMENT, P1325 TACHIBANA H, 1991, J ACOUST SOC AM, V89, P1856 TEMPLETON D, 1997, ACOUSTICS BUILT ENV, P58 VANDERWERFF J, 1997, P INT JUN, P349 For pre-prints please write to: Copyright: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals;