Effect Of Aging On Water Absorption Coefficient Of Commercial Grade Stucco

Abstract

One of the main detrimental factors for the durability of exterior building envelopes is the presence of water. Capillary rise is a major mechanism for water penetration inside the building materials in the liquid state. It affects the energy efficiency and durability of buildings. Water absorption coefficient is used to characterise the capillary water intake into the porous building materials. Various research works have been done to describe the effect of surface water temperature on water absorption coefficient of different building materials. In this project, the effects of extreme temperature (hot: 60C and cold: -10C) aging on water absorption coefficient of stucco material is investigated. Six specimens are exposed at two temperature cycles (i.e. total twelve specimens) for fourteen days. Following the ASTM standard test procedure, water absorption coefficients of stucco samples are calculated and the effects of extreme weather aging are documented. These experimental values of water absorption coefficient are entered as inputs for hygrothermal performance analysis of stucco-clad wood-frame wall assembly. The experimental results show significant impact of extreme temperature on the water absorption coefficient of stucco materials and hygrothermal simulation outputs indicate that the change in water absorption characteristics of stucco due to extreme temperature aging can have measurable change in moisture management capacity of stucco-clad wood-frame wall assembly in Vancouver, BC.