Evaluation of acoustical environment characteristics of indoor swimming pools: case of İzmir

The aim of this study is to determine the acoustic comfort conditions in Izmir Dokuz Eylül University İnciraltı Indoor Swimming Pool and to create new suggestions to improve it. For this purpose, the architectural design of swimming pools, whether they comply with national and international standards, and the comfort requirements have been investigated considering the effects on swimmers, spectators and employees. As a result of the inquiries, it was determined that while many comfort conditions were determined and applied with standards in indoor swimming pools around the world, acoustic comfort conditions were ignored. Afterwards, in order to determine the acoustic comfort conditions and to offer effective solutions, building materials, their applications and the mechanical systems that used in indoor swimming pools were examined and their effects on the acoustics were evaluated in detail. As a method, in-situ measurements and acoustic simulation program were used. Firstly, as determined in the literature, it was revealed that acoustic parameters were used for reflection time and background noise levels. Afterwards, examples from the world built in line with acoustic requirements and in our city of Izmir were determined. Among them, the architectural and acoustic features of DEÜ İnciraltı Indoor Swimming Pool were examined and the necessary architectural data were obtained from the university rectorate. As a result of the measurements, it was determined that the acoustic parameters of the DEÜ İnciraltı Indoor Swimming Pool were not in the optimum range. In order to improve the acoustic comfort conditions of the structure, the building materials used in the world market were examined and a model was created and simulated in order to understand the effectiveness of the suggestions. Considering the sustainability of the materials in indoor swimming pool ambient conditions, suggestions are presented with new materials and design approaches.