Hygrothermal assessment of internally insulated brick wall based on numerical simulation

Abstract

Massive walls exposed to external climate are characterized by low levels of thermal insulation. Unfortunately in many cases, due to the historic character of the building, the only possible way to improve their thermal insulation is the use of internal insulation. However, such solutions are associated with the risk of frost damage, mould growth or interstitial condensation. Calculations regarding the occurrence of these risks require complex calculation methods. Therefore, in the present work, the evaluation of the hygrothermal behavior of the internally insulated solid brick wall was performed based on the numerical simulations using the program WUFI Pro. Various material solutions of internal insulations, based on both synthetic and natural materials, were compared. The focus was on a particularly sensitive interface between the insulation and the original wall.