Hygrothermal assessment of internal insulation systems of brick walls through numerical simulation and full-scale laboratory testing

Internal thermal insulation is often the only applicable technique to insulate existing walls, in particular for historical buildings, although this technique is associated with different hygrothermal risks such as internal condensation, mould grow or frost damage. A full-scale test facility with controlled internal climate has been built that allows the hygrothermal monitoring of different masonry walls, internally insulated with standard and capillary active insulation materials. The monitoring results are also used to validate numerical models of the walls, which allows to study the hygrothermal behaviour for different boundary conditions and wall compositions. (c) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.