Papers by Elvira Ianniello
Music festivals are offered to public in one of the four large courtyards of the Royal Palace of ... more Music festivals are offered to public in one of the four large courtyards of the Royal Palace of the "Reggia di Caserta" (Italy). The event named "Leuciana Festival" is organized during summertime and most often pop music concert are performed in this large square surrounded by tall buildings. Sound reinforcement and electronic sound effects are used regularly by singers and musicians. This paper reports the results of a set of acoustic measurements carried out in the unoccupied courtyard fitted for a pop music concert and computer simulations implemented to study if the location is suitable for the performance of classical and symphonic music without the use of electroacoustic systems for sound amplification. A number of room-acoustics parameters were obtained from measurements; they were useful to calibrate a simple virtual model of the courtyard. The computerized simulation allowed the calculation of more parameters in a larger number of occupied seats. Results showed that the objective acoustics of the courtyard are not much far from acceptable conditions for symphonic concerts performance. In particular, the rate of decrement of the sound pressure level vs. the distance from the stage seems to be good enough.
Piazze circondate da edifici e cortili interni di grandi edifici storici sono utilizzati con una ... more Piazze circondate da edifici e cortili interni di grandi edifici storici sono utilizzati con una certa frequenza per la rappresentazione di spettacoli pubblici. In questo ambito è stata considerata la Reggia di Caserta, la cui costruzione fu iniziata nel XVIII secolo, sotto la direzione dell'architetto Luigi Vanvitelli per volontà del re Carlo III di Borbone. Come illustrato nella pianta in figura 1(A), il nucleo edificato comprende quattro cortili uguali di dimensioni 78 m x 53 m e con un' altezza degli edifici perimetrali di 35 m. Da un po' di tempo il cortile evidenziato nella figura 1 ospita manifestazioni di musica leggera durante la stagione estiva note come Leuciana Festival. I complessi musicali che si esibiscono in questo spazio utilizzano sistemi elettroacustici per l'amplificazione e per l'effettistica della voce e degli strumenti musicali. Durante lo svolgimento del Festival nell'estate del 2009 gli autori hanno avuto la possibilità di effettuare delle misure acustiche nel cortile (non occupato dal pubblico), ma allestito con il palcoscenico e le sedie per ospitare 3936 spettatori. (A) (B) Figura. 1 -(A) Pianta della Reggia di Caserta. E' evidenziato il cortile oggetto delle misure. (B) Pianta del cortile con la posizione della sorgente e delle direzioni di misura.
The interest for the acoustics of underground spaces is increasing in recent times. Since the eig... more The interest for the acoustics of underground spaces is increasing in recent times. Since the eighties archaeologists/anthropologists have reported measurements to support theories about relationships between the acoustics of caves and the culture of prehistoric cave man. However, few studies have been published about the objective acoustics of large rooms in caves where public shows are offered. In this context the authors are collecting data for a comparative study of the locations where shows implying sound quality are performed. They had the opportunity to carry out acoustic measurements in some chambers in the Castelcivita caves located in the Cilento's National Park in Southern Italy. Because of the nature of the landscape of this karstic cave it was chosen as a natural environment to stage a show about the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Pressure responses to the explosion of toy balloons were recorded in six chambers where the artists perform. The subsequent analysis of ac...
The Ear of Dionysius was a part of ancient quarries near the area were the old city of Syracuse w... more The Ear of Dionysius was a part of ancient quarries near the area were the old city of Syracuse was located. It is a man-made large grotto with an open S-shaped plan having a variable width. Lateral walls converge toward the top rapidly giving the grotto a vague resemblance to an ear pinna. A myth reports that the Syracuse Tyrant Dionysius used to overhear the conversation of war prisoners through a narrow opening well above the floor of the grotto. After a personal visit, W.C. Sabine reported in his Collected Papers on Acoustics a qualitative discussion about the acoustics of the Ear of Dionysius. He concluded that "…the distinctness of enunciation is blurred by excessive reverberation.". The authors present an analysis of the results of acoustic measurements carried out in the Ear of Dionysius in terms of modern objective descriptors of reverberation and speech intelligibility which quantify and confirm the opinion expressed by Sabine.
Acoustics Australia, 2015
ABSTRACT A large atrium of a shopping center is dedicated to shows of various genres. Often pop, ... more ABSTRACT A large atrium of a shopping center is dedicated to shows of various genres. Often pop, rock and jazz concerts are also offered to the public. Over time the managers became aware of the acoustic deficiencies of the site, for this use, and began a program aimed at the reduction of drawbacks emerging from live music. Therefore, the authors were asked to quickly analyse and ameliorate the acoustics of the atrium. The results of the initial analyses, based on measurements and computer simulations, suggested that the first step was the control of the sound reflected by a large transparent dome located over the performing area. Because of constraints imposed by the management, a rather lightweight canopy shaped like a disc with sound absorbing properties was designed. It was implemented rapidly and suspended between the performing area and the dome at the height of 7 m. Computer simulations and subsequent measurements carried out with the canopy mounted at the site showed that some positive results had been accomplished
2) PhD, via S. Rocco 8, Parco Domus 84016 Pagani (SA) Italy (3) Laboratorio per il Controllo dell... more 2) PhD, via S. Rocco 8, Parco Domus 84016 Pagani (SA) Italy (3) Laboratorio per il Controllo dell'Ambiente costruito – RiAS – Seconda Università di Napoli, [email protected] 1. Introduzione Le rappresentazioni di opere liriche diverse in teatri storici all'italiana comportano il cambio delle scenografie nella torre scenica. Gli allestimenti delle scene possono essere completamente diversi, sia per la forma sia per i materiali impiegati. Qualche studio ba-sato su misure sperimentali ha evidenziato una certa influenza della natura delle scene su taluni descrittori acustici nelle aree occupate dal pubblico. Fatta eccezione per casi estremi in cui la torre scenica in cui da un lato è poco arredata e dall'altro è dotata di scene ricche e fonoassorbenti, la misura sperimentale delle variazioni dell'acustica sono evidenziabili con difficoltà [1]. Questo fatto dipende dall'impossibilità di assicurare che osservazioni effettuate in tempi diversi, talvolta a distanze ...
Energy and Buildings, 2015
U-value estimation is crucial for energy diagnosis of existing buildings.Heat flux meter method a... more U-value estimation is crucial for energy diagnosis of existing buildings.Heat flux meter method allows in situ measurements of actual U-value.In situ measurements of U-value can be affected by some relevant metrological issues.Uncertainties of in situ measurements of U-value depend on operative conditions.Energy audits and check of energy performances are more and more urgent for achieving energy saving in existing buildings. In this context, it is very important to estimate U-value of buildings and, to this aim, different approaches are available. U-value is mainly estimated from the knowledge of thermal properties of the single layers of the wall using design data or analogies with similar buildings. To get a more accurate estimation, field analyses should be made like endoscopic investigation or logs. Nowadays, also in situ measurement of U-value using heat flow meters are available. Such measurements involve quite simple operational and calculation issues but, on the other hand, the disadvantage of long duration times and not negligible measurement uncertainties. In this paper, the authors present the results of an experimental campaign aimed both to assess the metrological performance of HFMs and to evaluate the influence of the ambient conditions. Furthermore, in situ U-values have been compared with the estimated ones from design data and field analyses. The results of the test show a good behavior of HFMs when tests are conducted according to ISO 9869. Nevertheless, operative measurement conditions and characteristics of the envelope component under investigation can strongly affect in situ U-value accuracy.
Energy and Buildings, 2015
ABSTRACT In the early Imperial age Roman unroofed theaters were endowed with velaria. A velarium ... more ABSTRACT In the early Imperial age Roman unroofed theaters were endowed with velaria. A velarium was an awning made of sailcloth, in either canvas, linen or cotton, attached to spokes of rope that could be extended or retracted with ropes and pulleys over the cavea. Their main purpose was to provide shade for the spectators who watched the show in blistering sun and heat. The aim of this paper is to understand if velaria, beside their primary function, could affect the acoustics of the theater. A specific study was carried out with the use of a commercial software for the prediction of room-acoustics characteristics of halls. Actually, numerical simulations were aided by acoustic measurements performed in two existing theaters, namely the “Teatro Grande” in Pompei and the “Teatro Romano” in Benevento as they are in the present state. Both theatres are used rather regularly for public shows including music of various genres and drama. To overcome inherent acoustic drawbacks, electro-acoustic supports are used. However, there are instances where these remedial measures are not appropriate and the natural acoustics is deficient especially because of the lack of a roof and other important structural elements. Initial results of the study showed that the use of suitable awnings can improve the acoustics of these venues.
introduces three classes of thermal environments (labelled A, B, C) as a function of the PMV rang... more introduces three classes of thermal environments (labelled A, B, C) as a function of the PMV range value gradually decreasing according to the need of a lower dissatisfied percentage. On this point of view, for the A class, requiring severe comfort restrictions, the PMV range between -0,20 and +0,20 such as the criteria inspiring the prEN 15251 Standard has been arranged. It is noteworthy that the PMV value evaluated for a certain environment is strongly affected by the changes of its independent variables (i.e. air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air velocity, hygrometric ratio, metabolic rate and clothing insulation); therefore the precision requirements appear a crucial need. In this work an assessment on the PMV sensitivity to its independent variables is reported. The obtained results clearly show that the PMV range chosen for the A class is almost nearly to the instrumental error characterising measuring instruments.
Energy and Buildings, 2014
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2008
An acoustical feature reported specifically for Italian-style opera houses is the non uniformity ... more An acoustical feature reported specifically for Italian-style opera houses is the non uniformity of early sound in the stalls. The curvature of the lower part of the lateral walls produces a sort of partial wave-guiding effect, like the well known "whispering gallery" effect. It is responsible of the concentration of early sound energy at seats located back in the stalls when the sound source radiates from the foreground of the stage floor. As much of the global room impression depends on the early part of the impulse response it can be supposed that the perceived sound quality of singers' voice and instrumentalists' music performed on the stage will be much different if the listener seats in the last rows with respect to different locations in the stalls. This paper reports an objective analysis on this subject based on measurements carried out in the stalls of "The Teatro di Corte della Reggia di Caserta". Relevant computer simulations were also implemented.
International Journal of Thermophysics, 2012
ABSTRACT The presence of moisture in building envelopes can have many causes and may lead to dete... more ABSTRACT The presence of moisture in building envelopes can have many causes and may lead to deterioration of useful thermophysical characteristics of the materials, to weakening of the building structure, and to facilitating growth of mold. The International Standard ISO 13788 establishes a calculation procedure for the determination of hygrometric characteristics of building components and materials, assuming that the influence of moisture content on the thermal field across walls, ceilings, and roofs may be neglected. However, condensed water increases the effective thermal conductivity of building materials, thus modifying the temperature profiles across the building envelope. This effect is analogous to the one due to the material aging. In this paper, the authors show the results of effective thermal-conductivity measurements in some commonly adopted building materials as a function of moisture content, in order to assess the potential significance of interstitial condensation on thermal losses and to verify if the maximum allowed moisture content reported is useful to prevent the decay of the thermal properties of building materials.
Building and Environment, 2013
The assessment of moderate thermal environments provided with HVAC system is usually carried out ... more The assessment of moderate thermal environments provided with HVAC system is usually carried out by means of the PMV and the PPD indices. The reliability of the PMV to predict the thermal sensation in non-air conditioned environments has been criticized in the past. Particularly, Fanger himself, realizing the difference in the expectations between people not used to occupy conditioned environments and people used to, proposed to widen the use of PMV even in non-air conditioned environments by means of an expectancy factor. This factor, multiplied by the PMV value, returns a corrected vote that keeps into account the difference in expectancy of occupants of non-air conditioned environments.
The final drafts of CEN and ASHRAE proposals on the indoor thermal comfort assessment criteria ex... more The final drafts of CEN and ASHRAE proposals on the indoor thermal comfort assessment criteria expressed as a function of the whole of microclimatic for the public inquiry are recently published. In this paper such documents will be analyzed, compared and discussed; moreover the results of an in situ analysis carried out on Italian schools will be shown.
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Papers by Elvira Ianniello