Building Materials Database

Building Materials Database

The Building materials database contains hygroscopic and thermal properties for materials used with the Heat Transfer Module’s Moisture Transport interface and Heat and Moisture Transport multiphysics interface.

In addition to thermal properties (thermal conductivity, density, and heat capacity), the following hygroscopic properties are provided:

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Effective thermal conductivity (SI Unit: W/(m·K))

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Moisture content (SI Unit: kg/m3)

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Moisture diffusivity (SI Unit: m2/s)

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Vapor resistance factor (dimensionless)

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Vapor permeability (SI Unit: s)

Note that for materials intended to be used as vapor barriers, only the vapor resistance factor and vapor permeability are available.

The properties are given either as a constant value, as a piecewise linear function of the temperature or the relative humidity, or as a polynomial approximation function of the temperature or the relative humidity that provides a good agreement with the reference. The table below summarize the materials, their characteristics and their intended use. Also see References for the Building Materials Database.


Material	Usage	Characteristics	Reference
Concrete	Building structure	-	Ref. 3
Lime silica brick	Building structure	-	Ref. 3
Wood, pine	Studs, panels	Nominal thickness = 10 mm	Ref. 1, Ref. 2
Gypsum board	Interior board	Nominal thickness = 13 mm	Ref. 1, Ref. 2
Glass wool board	Sheathing	Nominal thickness = 30 mm	Ref. 1, Ref. 2
Cellulose board	Sheathing	Nominal thickness = 25 mm	Ref. 1, Ref. 2
Glass wool batt	Thermal insulation	Nominal thickness = 50 mm	Ref. 1, Ref. 2
Cellulose batt	Thermal insulation	Nominal thickness = 50 mm	Ref. 1, Ref. 2
Cellulose (loose)	Thermal insulation	Nominal thickness = 50 mm	Ref. 1, Ref. 2
Plastic coated paper	Vapor/air barrier	-	Ref. 1, Ref. 2
Expanded polystyrene board (EPS)	Thermal insulation, vapor/air barrier	Board from molded blocks conform to norm EN 13163	Ref. 4
Extruded polystyrene board (XPS)	Thermal insulation, vapor/air barrier	Board of thickness < 60mm, without any occluded gas other than air and CO2, conform to norm EN 13164	Ref. 4