An improved model to predict energy-based acoustic parameters in Apulian-Romanesque churches

In this paper an improved model to predict energy relations in churches is proposed. A detailed acoustic survey was carried out of nine Romanesque churches having volumes ranging from 33 000 to 1500 m3. The measured sound level and early/late ratio showed significant correlation with the source–receiver distance, but the comparison with values predicted using theoretical models initially gave unsatisfactory results. The main difference was due to the early energy which was underestimated at points near the source and overestimated at distant points. Barronʹs revised theory proved to be the most reliable among the analysed models, so, in order to improve its prediction accuracy, a modified early reflected energy component was added to the direct and reverberant sound. The improved model was finally validated and the comparison between predicted and measured values gave good results.