Performance of the hygrothermal behavior of the CLT wall using different types of insulation; XPS, PF board and glass wool

Abstract

The physical input values of buildings were entered into a thermal moisture simulation software called WUFI. The categorized criteria were variables of insulation type, standards of insulation (U-value), climate, and the presence or absence of vapor permeable inside and outside the wall. The simulation results graphically displayed the moisture content of the entire wall and the potential for mold growth. The results showed that a vapor barrier paper needs to be installed inside the wall to produce less mold and that the wool-type insulation materials have more moisture content than that of polyester insulation materials. Next, the actual experiment was conducted in a Facing thermo-hygrostat for evaluating the performance of the hygrothermal behavior of the CLT wall using different types of insulation, namely, XPS, PF board, and glass wool. The direction and amount of water vapor in the wall owing to temperature changes were observed in the external environment. The experimental results showed that the CLT wall containing the glass wool insulation was vulnerable to heat and humidity, whereas the CLT wall containing the PF insulation was excellent in resisting heat and humidity. Finally, CLT building with the previously studied was implemented. In this process, a life cycle cost analysis was performed by calculating the daily heating and cooling values for domestic climates to determine the optimal thickness of the insulation to used for each CLT wall.