Predicting the Acoustics of Ancient Open-Air Theatres: The Importance of Calculation Methods and Geometrical Details By Jens Holger Rindel

https://www.academia.edu/51112641/Predicting_the_Acoustics_of_Ancient_Open_Air_Theatres_The_Importance_of_Calculation_Methods_and_Geometrical_Details?rhid=40195488311&swp=rr-rw-wc-62676792&nav_from=cacfae0d-df7a-4dc8-bcf3-22edc48ec3f3 For more than a decade now, computer simulations of sound fields in rooms have been widely adopted in research and for consulting purposes. Most computer simulations are either based on geometrical room acoustics or statistical methods, hereby neglecting diffraction and interference effects. The calculation algorithms in this type of simulations often combine the image-source method and the ray-tracing technique. In this paper, the acoustics of an open-air roman theatre are investigated. This is a special case which sets up a challenge to these prediction methods. The absence of a roof and therefore of a reverberant field, demands high accuracy in predicting the early reflections. The energy dissipates quickly in this type of enclosures and there is little masking effect of the reverberation. The inverse cone shape of these theatres also puts serious limitations to the image-source method, where great areas are in the shadow zone of the mirroring surface. Another aspect that has bee... ...