A powerful simulator for moisture transfer in buildings

• Published in: Building and environment Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 902 - 912
• Main Authors: Karoglou, M., Moropoulou, A., Krokida, M.K., Maroulis, Z.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building failures (cracks, physical changes, etc.); Buildings; Buildings. Public works; Capillary rise; Decision-making; Drying kinetics; Durability. Pathology. Repairing. Maintenance; Exact sciences and technology; External envelopes; Materials; Microstructure; Plasters; Wall. Partition; Decision-making; Capillary rise; Microstructure; Drying kinetics; Plasters; System architecture; Humidity transfer; Mechanism analysis; Construction materials; Modeling; Case study; Humidity effect; External envelope; Capillarity; Deterioration; Building wall; Seasonal variation; Failure analysis; Properties of materials; Simulator; Drying
• ISSN: 0360-1323; 1873-684X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2005.10.008

The seasonal moisture transfer to and from the walls of a building is the most important factor concerning the deteriorating effect of moisture in buildings envelopes. The presented simulator takes into account the (a) moisture transfer mechanisms to and from the building (capillary rise, drying, etc.), (b) wall configuration (materials and size), (c) construction materials properties, (d) seasonal region meteorological data (air temperature, humidity and velocity) and calculates the (a) seasonal wall moisture content along with the corresponding equilibrium moisture height, (b) capillary rising water flow rate, (c) wall drying flow rate, etc. The simulator has been developed in an Excel platform in a user-friendly environment and consists of four units: (a) process model, (b) problem solution algorithms, (c) database and (d) graphics interface. The proposed simulator is a powerful tool in decision-making concerning the building deteriorating evolution and the selection of appropriate protecting strategy, e.g., the plaster selection (material, size, replacing time), contributing to the sustainability of masonries.