TY - JOUR
T1 - Hygrothermal investigation of lightweight steel-framed wall assemblies in hot-humid climates
T2 - Measurement and simulation validation
AU - Zhan, Qiaosheng
AU - Pungercar, Vesna
AU - Musso, Florian
AU - Ni, Hong
AU - Xiao, Yiqiang
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - In recent years, lightweight steel-framed (LSF) constructions are considered sustainable and widely used worldwide. However, the LSF wall assemblies have the risk of durability failure in hot-humid climates. This study conducted fundamental research on the hygrothermal performance of LSF wall assemblies by characterizing the hygrothermal responses, modelling and validating the simulation models under hot-humid climatic conditions. Through measuring the relative humidity and temperature of various positions inside, four typical and full-scale LSF wall assemblies were tested thoroughly and comparatively on two room-like test cubes in Guangzhou, a hot-humid city in China. It was found that the ventilated rainscreen provided better hygrothermal responses of the wall assemblies than the face-sealed cladding; the closed-cell external insulation could significantly improve the hygrothermal responses of the wall assemblies with stucco cladding; generally, wall assemblies with ventilated rainscreen and external insulation exhibited the best hygrothermal response in a hot-humid climate, followed by wall assemblies with ventilated rainscreen, wall assemblies with face-sealed cladding and external insulation and wall assemblies with face-sealed cladding. Furthermore, the measured data were used to model and validate the simulation models of the four typical wall assemblies in software. It was shown that hygrothermal simulation is sufficient for evaluating the long-term hygrothermal performance of LSF wall assemblies in hot-humid climates, and relatively conservative settings are necessary for evaluating cases with great uncertainties. Overall, this study could lay a foundation for better assessing and improving the hygrothermal performance, durability and sustainability of LSF buildings in hot-humid climate regions worldwide.
AB - In recent years, lightweight steel-framed (LSF) constructions are considered sustainable and widely used worldwide. However, the LSF wall assemblies have the risk of durability failure in hot-humid climates. This study conducted fundamental research on the hygrothermal performance of LSF wall assemblies by characterizing the hygrothermal responses, modelling and validating the simulation models under hot-humid climatic conditions. Through measuring the relative humidity and temperature of various positions inside, four typical and full-scale LSF wall assemblies were tested thoroughly and comparatively on two room-like test cubes in Guangzhou, a hot-humid city in China. It was found that the ventilated rainscreen provided better hygrothermal responses of the wall assemblies than the face-sealed cladding; the closed-cell external insulation could significantly improve the hygrothermal responses of the wall assemblies with stucco cladding; generally, wall assemblies with ventilated rainscreen and external insulation exhibited the best hygrothermal response in a hot-humid climate, followed by wall assemblies with ventilated rainscreen, wall assemblies with face-sealed cladding and external insulation and wall assemblies with face-sealed cladding. Furthermore, the measured data were used to model and validate the simulation models of the four typical wall assemblies in software. It was shown that hygrothermal simulation is sufficient for evaluating the long-term hygrothermal performance of LSF wall assemblies in hot-humid climates, and relatively conservative settings are necessary for evaluating cases with great uncertainties. Overall, this study could lay a foundation for better assessing and improving the hygrothermal performance, durability and sustainability of LSF buildings in hot-humid climate regions worldwide.
KW - Field measurement
KW - Hot-humid climate
KW - Hygrothermal response
KW - Lightweight steel-framed wall assembly
KW - Simulation validation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85111521255&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103044
DO - 10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103044
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85111521255
SN - 2352-7102
VL - 42
JO - Journal of Building Engineering
JF - Journal of Building Engineering
M1 - 103044
ER -