- Author
-
Maref, W.
|
Lacasse, M. A.
|
Booth, D.
- Title
- Approach to Validating Computational Models for Hygrothermal Analysis: Full-Scale Experiments.
- Coporate
- National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
- Report
-
NRCC-45215,
- Distribution
- FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: National Research Council of Canada, Institute for Research in Construction, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0R6, Telephone (613) 993-2607, Fax: (613) 952-7673, Email: Irc.Client-Services@nrc.ca [FULL DOCUMENT IN PDF]: http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/fulltext/nrcc45215/
- Book or Conf
- Computational Heat and Mass Transfer, 3rd International Conference. Proceedings. May 26-30, 2003,
Banff, Alberta,
243-251 p.,
2003
- Keywords
-
experiments
|
computer modesl
|
simulation
|
moisture
- Identifiers
- hygIRC: advanced hygrothermal simulation model; energy balance; initial and boundary conditions; model implementation and simulation assumptions
- Abstract
- Recent research in the field of assessment of hygrothermal response has focused on either laboratory experimentation or modelling, but less work has been reported in which both aspects are combined. Such type of studies can potentially offer useful information regarding the benchmarking of models and related methods to assess hygrothermal performance of wall assemblies. An advanced hygrothermal computer model called hygIRC was used to assess the hygrothermal response of wood sheathing board, a key component of wood-frame wall assemblies. hygIRC uses hygrothermal properties of materials derived from tests on small-scale specimens undertaken in the laboratory. The intent of this work was to obtain experimental results on the hygrothermal the response of the wood sheathing, in full-scale wall assemblies, when subjected to nominally steady-state environmental conditions. The drying rates of wall assemblies featuring several different membranes in contact with the wood sheathing were determined from experiments undertaken in a controlled laboratory setting. These results were subsequently compared to those obtained using hygIRC as a means of helping benchmark the simulation model. Conclusions from these studies are definite for both full-scale tests simulation results compare favourably with those obtained from the experiments. This suggests that the model adequately emulates the hygrothermal response of specific wood-frame assembly components, such as wood sheathing, over a range of environmental conditions to which it was subjected in the experiments. These results further enhance confidence towards the implementation of hygIRC in broader based parametric studies.