Acoustics of King Abdullah Mosque

Abstract

This paper presents the acoustical problems associated with a huge mosque that has been built recently in Amman, Jordan. These problems include very high reverberation time values inside the mosque, reaching more than 15 s at midfrequencies, and more than 22 s for all frequencies below 500 Hz. In addition, the articulation index was very low and the ambient noise level was very high. These conditions produced an unacceptable acoustic environment for this place, and their reduction was essential. To remedy these problems, most of the interior surfaces of the mosque were treated using appropriate types of materials. Final measurements indicate that the reverberation time in the midfrequencies is around 1 s. Furthermore, the use of an electroacoustic system provides an almost uniform sound level inside the mosque. The articulation index measurements show good to excellent response.