Conceptual Reference Database for Building Envelope Research Prev
Next

Impact, absorption and evaporation of raindrops on building facades

Abuku, M., Janssen, H., Poesenc J. and Roels, S.
2009
Building and Environment, 44(1): 113-124

Abuku, M., Janssen, H., Poesenc J. and Roels, S., (2009), "Impact, absorption and evaporation of raindrops on building facades", Building and Environment, 44(1): 113-124.
Abstract:
In this paper, the impact, absorption and evaporation of raindrops on building facades is investigated by experimental and numerical means. Laboratory experiments were carried out to study the impact of water drops with different diameters, impact speeds and impact angles on a porous building material surface (ceramic brick). The measurements showed that large drops with high impact speeds splash, and that drops with high impact speeds and small impact angles bounce. The measurements, furthermore, allowed measuring the maximum spreading length and width of the drops as a function of drop diameter, impact speed and impact angle. Then, a numerical analysis was performed to study the distribution of impact speed and angle for raindrops hitting the fa?ade of a 4กม4กม10 m3 tower building. The results demonstrated typical and important tendencies of impact angle and speed across the fa?ade. Finally, the experimental and numerical data were used in a more precise three-dimensional simulation of impact, absorption and evaporation of random and discrete wind-driven raindrops. This was compared with the common one-dimensional simulation of absorption and evaporation at the fa?ade considering a continuous uniform rain load as boundary condition, and significant differences between the two approaches were observed.

Keywords: Wind-driven rain; Raindrop impact; Absorption; Evaporation; Moisture transfer; Building fa?ade

This publication in whole or part may be found online at: This link has not been checked.here.
Related Concepts

Author Information and Other Publications Notes
Abuku, M.
     
Janssen, H.
  1. A comparison of the Nordtest and Japanese test methods for the moisture buffering performance of building materials
  2. Conservative modelling of the moisture and heat transfer in building components under atmospheric excitation
  3. In situ determination of the moisture buffer potential of room enclosures
  4. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of interior moisture buffering by enclosures
  5. The influence of soil moisture in the unsaturated zone on the heat loss from buildings via the ground
  6. The influence of soil moisture transfer on building heat loss via the ground
  7. Wind-driven rain as a boundary condition for HAM simulations: Analysis of simplified modelling approaches  
Roels, S.
Department of Civil Engineering Laboratory of Building Physics Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium
  1. A comparison of different techniques to quantify moisture content profiles in porous building materials
  2. A comparison of the Nordtest and Japanese test methods for the moisture buffering performance of building materials
  3. A quasi-steady state implementation of air convection in a transient heat and moisture building component model
  4. Description of the moisture capacity of building materials
  5. Determination of the isothermal moisture transport properties of porous building materials
  6. Determination of the liquid water diffusivity from transient moisture transfer experiments
  7. Determination of the moisture capacity of porous building materials
  8. In situ determination of the moisture buffer potential of room enclosures
  9. Microscopic analysis of imbibition processes in oolitic limestone
  10. Modeling fluid flow in fractured media using continuum, network and discrete aproaches
  11. Position paper on material characterization and HAM model benchmarking
  12. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of interior moisture buffering by enclosures
  13. Review of mould prediction models and their influence on mould risk evaluation
  14. Simulating non-isothermal water vapour transfer: an experimental validation on multi-layered building components
  15. Wind-driven rain as a boundary condition for HAM simulations: Analysis of simplified modelling approaches  


CRDBER, at CBS, BCEE, ENCS, Concordia,