Abstract

In order to preserve the acoustics of the Salt Lake Tabernacle after the seismic renovation of 2005-2006, it was necessary to characterize these acoustics immediately preceding the renovation. This thesis discusses the characterization process that began with the measurement of hundreds of impulse responses for five different source positions and several receiver locations throughout the hall seating areas. The acoustics were further characterized by deriving various parameters from these responses that correlate with subjective preferences for music and speech. Impulse responses were also generated by a CATT-Acoustic™ computer model of the Tabernacle for the same purpose. The parameter values were then mapped over diagrams of the seating areas of the hall to show the spatial variation of the acoustics. To further investigate the variation, statistics were calculated for each parameter and an algorithm was developed to determine the minimum number of receiver locations necessary to adequately characterize the hall. Computer models were also used to investigate focusing effects of the curved ceiling and historical comments made about the improvements to the acoustics with addition of the balcony in 1870.

Degree

College and Department

Physical and Mathematical Sciences; Physics and Astronomy

Rights

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