Air Leakage of Joints Filled with Polyurethane Foam
Air leakage through the building envelope joints is usually one of the main reasons why airtightness targets are not achieved. The objective of this study was to analyse the air leakage of joints filled with polyurethane foam and its influencing factors. Wooden test specimens (54 in total) with plan...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-07-01
|
| Series: | Buildings |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/9/7/172 |
| _version_ | 1811238324465041408 |
|---|---|
| author | Jaanus Hallik Heleen Gustavson Targo Kalamees |
| author_facet | Jaanus Hallik Heleen Gustavson Targo Kalamees |
| author_sort | Jaanus Hallik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Air leakage through the building envelope joints is usually one of the main reasons why airtightness targets are not achieved. The objective of this study was to analyse the air leakage of joints filled with polyurethane foam and its influencing factors. Wooden test specimens (54 in total) with planed, sawn and plastic-coated cavities and two cavity thicknesses were filled with three different polyurethane foams and tested according to standard EN 12114. The surface type and thickness of the joint had a significant effect on the air leakage of joints filled with polyurethane foam. In laboratory conditions, a consistent and very low air leakage rate was obtained with planed timber surfaces. Joints with plastic-coated and sawn timber surfaces performed worse, on average, by a factor of two or more and contributed to very variable airtightness, with up to 28% and 50% of the test specimens failing the airtightness testing. On the basis of the high ‘failure rate’, polyurethane foam may classify as a not completely trustworthy solution in guaranteeing the airtightness of construction joints. A comparison of estimated and previously measured overall airtightness of an entire building envelope showed dependency on ‘failure rate’ rather than on average measured leakage rate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:39:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c2fdb7adb6854d7bb90b28ba1689338b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:39:48Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj.art-c2fdb7adb6854d7bb90b28ba1689338b2022-12-22T03:32:49ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092019-07-019717210.3390/buildings9070172buildings9070172Air Leakage of Joints Filled with Polyurethane FoamJaanus Hallik0Heleen Gustavson1Targo Kalamees2Nearly Zero Energy Buildings Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, EstoniaSchool of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, EstoniaNearly Zero Energy Buildings Research Group, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, EstoniaAir leakage through the building envelope joints is usually one of the main reasons why airtightness targets are not achieved. The objective of this study was to analyse the air leakage of joints filled with polyurethane foam and its influencing factors. Wooden test specimens (54 in total) with planed, sawn and plastic-coated cavities and two cavity thicknesses were filled with three different polyurethane foams and tested according to standard EN 12114. The surface type and thickness of the joint had a significant effect on the air leakage of joints filled with polyurethane foam. In laboratory conditions, a consistent and very low air leakage rate was obtained with planed timber surfaces. Joints with plastic-coated and sawn timber surfaces performed worse, on average, by a factor of two or more and contributed to very variable airtightness, with up to 28% and 50% of the test specimens failing the airtightness testing. On the basis of the high ‘failure rate’, polyurethane foam may classify as a not completely trustworthy solution in guaranteeing the airtightness of construction joints. A comparison of estimated and previously measured overall airtightness of an entire building envelope showed dependency on ‘failure rate’ rather than on average measured leakage rate.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/9/7/172airtightnessair leakagepolyurethane foamtimber joints |
| spellingShingle | Jaanus Hallik Heleen Gustavson Targo Kalamees Air Leakage of Joints Filled with Polyurethane Foam Buildings airtightness air leakage polyurethane foam timber joints |
| title | Air Leakage of Joints Filled with Polyurethane Foam |
| title_full | Air Leakage of Joints Filled with Polyurethane Foam |
| title_fullStr | Air Leakage of Joints Filled with Polyurethane Foam |
| title_full_unstemmed | Air Leakage of Joints Filled with Polyurethane Foam |
| title_short | Air Leakage of Joints Filled with Polyurethane Foam |
| title_sort | air leakage of joints filled with polyurethane foam |
| topic | airtightness air leakage polyurethane foam timber joints |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/9/7/172 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jaanushallik airleakageofjointsfilledwithpolyurethanefoam AT heleengustavson airleakageofjointsfilledwithpolyurethanefoam AT targokalamees airleakageofjointsfilledwithpolyurethanefoam |