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A precision weighing system for helping assess the hygrotherma response of full-scale wall assemblies

Maref, W.M. Lacasse, M.A. and Krouglicof, N.
2001
Proceedings for Performance of Exterior Envelopes of Whole Buildings VIII: Integration of Building Envelopes, December 2-7, Clearwater Beach, Florida

Maref, W.M. Lacasse, M.A. and Krouglicof, N., (2001), "A precision weighing system for helping assess the hygrotherma response of full-scale wall assemblies", Proceedings for Performance of Exterior Envelopes of Whole Buildings VIII: Integration of Building Envelopes, December 2-7, Clearwater Beach, Florida.
Abstract:
The overall hygrothermal behavior of wall assemblies and their related performance is dependent on a number of factors, including properties of the materials used in the assembly as well as the boundary conditions to which the assembly is subjected. Performance assessment, in terms of the rate of energy transfer through the assembly, requires determining heat loss as a function of time in steady-state conditions. Assessing hygrothermal performance, on the other hand, requires, in addition to determining heat transfer constants, knowledge of the mass transfer of air and moisture through the assembly. In small-scale tests, these transient effects can be monitored in real time to offer a ready means of calculating the physical constants of given materials or components. In tests of full-scale wall assemblies, for example, monitoring the change in mass over time can present certain technical challenges if measurable and reproducible data are to be obtained. To assist the benchmarking of computer models that simulate such types of hygrothermal effects, a balance is required that can assess minute changes in mass. Ideally, the balance should measure the effects on a continuous basis such that changes in weight in relation to time can be readily determined. This paper describes the design of, and experimental results derived from, a weighing system for full-scale wall assemblies. The system is capable of continuously monitoring weight changes of 2.5-by-2.5-m walls having nominal weights of up to 225 kg (to the nearest 1g). The weight data have been used to determine weight loss over time in wood sheathing affixed to a wood frame when exposed to steady-state laboratory conditions. The data were used as a basis for helping benchmark an advanced hygrothermal computer model?ygIRC.

REFERENCES

Geving, S. 1997. Moisture design of building constructions Hygrothermal analysis using simulation models, Part II: Collection of papers and reports, Ph.D. Thesis. Trondheim, Norway: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Building and Construction Engineering, NTNU

Geving, S., and A. Karagiosis. 1996. Field measurements and computer simulations of the hygrothermal performance of wood frame walls. In: Geving, S. 1997. Moisture design of building constructions. Hygrothermal analysis using simulation models, Part II: Collection of papers and reports, Ph.D. Thesis. Trondheim, Norway: Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Building and Construction Engineering, NTNU

Geving, S., and J.V. Thue. 1996. Measurements and computer simulations of hygrothermal performance of lightweight roofs, in: Proceedings of the 4th Symposium of Building Physics in Nordic Countries, Espoo, Finland, pp. 541-548

Geving, S., and S. Uvsl?kk. 2000. Moisture conditions in timber frame roof and wall structures. Test house measurements for verification of heat, air and moisture transfer models. Oslo, Norway: Project Report 273- 2000, BYGGFORSK, and Norwegian Building Research Institute

Hens, H. 1996. Final Report, Volume 1, Task 1: Modeling

International Energy Agency, Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems, IEA Annex 24 Heat, Air and Moisture Transport Through New and Retrofitted Insulated Envelope Parts (HAMTIE)

Karagiozis, A., M.H. Salonvaara, and M.K. Kumaran. 1995

The effect of waterproof coating on hygrothermal performance of high-rise wall structure. Thermal Performance of the Exterior Envelopes of Buildings VI

Atlanta: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc

Karagiozis, A., and M.K. Kumaran. 1997. Applications of hygrothermal models to building envelope design guidelines. 4th Canada/Japan Housing R&D workshop, Sapporo Japan, pp. 25-36

Kumaran, M.K., and J. Wang. 1999. How well should one know the hygrothermal properties of building materials? Proceedings of the CIB W40 meeting (Prague, Czech Republic), pp. 47-52

Maref, W., M.K. Kumaran, M.A. Lacasse, M.C. Swinton, and D. Van Reenen. 2001. Advanced hygrothermal model¡ªhygIRC: Laboratory measurements and benchmarking

To be published

Salonvaara, M., and A.N. Karagiozis. 1994. Moisture transport in building envelopes using an approximate factorization solution method. Toronto: CFD Society of Canada

Salonvaara, M.H., and A.N. Karagiozis. 1996. Influence of waterproof coating on the hygrothermal performance of a brick facade wall system. ASTM Symposium on Water Leakage Through Building Facades (Orlando, Florida, U.S.A., 1996), pp. 295-311. 1998 (ASTM Special Technical Publication, vol. 1314) ASTM-STP-1314
Related Resources:
  • This link has not been checked.ANSI-- American National Standards Institute
    "a private, non-profit organization (501(c)3) that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity."
  • This link has not been checked.ASTM
    "provides a global forum for the development and publication of voluntary consensus standards for materials, products, systems, and services"
  • This link has not been checked.IRC: Institute for Research in Construction
    "Canada's research, building code development, and materials evaluation services, .. issues that have a large economic impact, assisting industry to innovate and develop technologies that are safe, durable and cost-effective. "
  • This link has not been checked.Laboratory of Building Physics, Leuven, Belgium
    "...research and educational activities in the field of heat and mass transfer in building materials, building parts and buildings, the energy use in buildings, building installations and building acoustics. Also research in urban physics is part of our activities.
  • HAM: hygIRC : verify HAM by assembly weight
  • IEA Annex 30: Bringing Simulation to Application
  • MEWS-NRC/IRC, Consortium for Moisture Management for Exterior Walls : validation scheme

Related Concepts

Author Information and Other Publications Notes
Maref, W. M. L.
National Research Council of Canada, Institute for Research in Construction
  1. A methodology to develop moisture management strategies for wood-frame walls in North America: application to stucco-clad walls
  2. An approach to validating computational models for hygrothermal analysis - full scale experiments
  3. Assembly and Calibration of a Compact Temperature and Relative Humidity Sensor
  4. Benchmarking of the advanced hygrothermal model hygIRC with mid scale experiments
  5. Executive Summary of Research Contributions Related to Moisture Management of Exterior Wall Systems (MEWS) - Modeling, Experiments, and Benchmarking
  6. In-Situ performance evaluation of exterior insulation basement systems (EIBS) - spray polyurethane foam: summary report
  7. Summary of Research Contributions Related to Moisture Management of Exterior Wall System (MEWS)-- Modeling, Experiments and Benchmarking
  8. Three-dimensional analysis of thermal resistance of exterior basement insulation systems (EIBS)  
Krouglicof, N.
     


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