Effect of Dome-Shape on the Reverberation Time of the Mosque-A Case Study

Acoustic performance of worship places has been a focus of extensive research. Mosques are traditionally featured by domes, but there is a lack of adequate scientific studies on the effect of dome-shape on their acoustic performance. In order to address this issue, the present study has performed a case study on a typical mosque located at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University campus in Saudi Arabia. Simulations were performed with four different dome-shapes namely Saucer, Drum, Onion and Pointed [1], which represent typical forms and architectural features, by using ODEON Room Acoustics Program. The results were validated by in-situ measurements (with DIRAC room acoustic system) and statistical analysis (by Microsoft Excel tools). In each case, the acoustic characteristics were evaluated, by considering Imam (prayer leader) position as the sound source. The results establish that selecting the appropriate dome-shape is crucial, as it can have a direct positive or negative impact on the reverberation time of mosques. According to the dome-shape, both Saucer and Pointed domes have the optimum acoustic performance for both T30 and EDT. Both domes meet the theoretical standards to maintain the acoustical comfort. As the results would vary according to the size and architectural features of the building, a casespecific analysis is important at the early design stage.