PDF 136390 - Establ...pdf | Request a copy Full text restricted

Abstract

In Australia, the National Construction Code recently included the first performancerequirements relating to condensation risk mitigation in Australian Buildings. Furthermore, it’s expectedthat further enhancements to these regulations will occur in 2022, 2025 and 2028. Hence, hygrothermalperformance assessment, which is the method by which water vapour pressure is simulated becomes animportant part of the statutory process. To undertake a hygrothermal simulation relies upon buildingmaterials database, which includes water vapour resistivity, conductivity and water absorptivityproperties. At this stage, whilst many materials used in Australian construction may have published valuesfor conductivity and absorptivity, very few products have published values for water vapour resistivity.Additionally, manufacturers of building materials used in the external envelope of buildings will be seekingguidance about the water vapour resistivity properties of their products. This paper discusses the researchwhich has been completed to establish Australia’s first laboratory to test the water vapour resistivity ofbuilding materials. The methods proposed include the use of a conditioned test room and anenvironmental chamber. This paper focuses on the establishment of an environmentally controlled testroom for quantifying materials’ water vapour resistivity through gravimetric method. The establishmentand operation of the environmental chamber will be reported later.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Authors/Creators:	Olaoye, TS and Dewsbury, M
Keywords:	water vapour resistivity, gravimetric method, hygrothermal simulation, condensation, material properties
Journal or Publication Title:	Proceedings of the 53rd International Conference of the Architectural Science Association
Publisher:	Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA)
Copyright Information:	Copyright 2019 Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA)
Related URLs:	Google Scholar: Dewsbury, M UTAS Profile: Dewsbury, M
Item Statistics:	View statistics for this item

Actions (login required)

Item Control Page