Analytical Calculation of the Height Measure — a New Objective Criterion for the Acoustics of Temple Buildings and Structures

The article is devoted to the calculation method for a new objective room acoustics criterion – “height measure” (LH), which derives from specific features of temple buildings in view of the architectural features of their internal volume and the resulting subjective effect of the arrival of sound from above (the so-called “Voice of Heaven”). The proposed criterion makes it possible to set a subjective-objective correspondence for the degree of spatial sensation of the acoustic features of the temple premises and predict it as objective parameter values at the stage of acoustic design of religious buildings and structures. The definition of the parameter and the prerequisites for its introduction are given in previous publications of the authors. This article proposes a method for the analytical calculation of the height measure parameter (LH), based on statistical theory of room acoustics. The obtained ratios make it possible to calculate this parameter for the cases of near and far fields, based on the basic geometric parameters of the room and the average sound absorption coefficient. Conclusions are drawn about the possibility of using such a technique for the initial assessment of the influence of the upper volumes of temple premises on the subjective sensation of the “voice of heaven” and the need for experimental verification of the calculation of the proposed criterion.

Kh.A. SHCHIRZHETSKII, Candidate of Sciences (Engineering), (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.),
V.M. ALESHKIN, Engineer (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Research Institute of Building Physics of RAACS (21, Lokomotivny Driveway, Moscow, 127238, Russian Federation)

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