Measurements of building constructions and materials
Measurements are often needed to decide whether the façade is robust enough to be internally insulated.
Depending on the task, the renovation objective and the scope of measures, it may be necessary to determine the building physical properties of the existing structure before selecting an internal insulation system. Measurements can take place on-site or in a laboratory.
In principle, laboratory measurements offer significantly higher measurement accuracy than on-site tests. In addition, some characteristic values can be determined exclusively by laboratory measurements. These laboratory measurements require samples to be taken, e.g. in the form of core drillings or stone samples.
The choice of measurement activities depends on:
Available time for measurements
Non‐destructive vs destructive: How much material can be removed for tests?
Cost of tests
Derivable material properties
Measuring accuracy (high, medium, low)
Measurement prerequisites/flexibility (local, etc.).
Measurements to assess current state of the building wall construction and materials.
Examples
Test tube according to Dr. Karsten, placed on a brick
Test plate according to Franke, detection of brick and joint content
Water absorption measuring device WAM 100 B, construction and measuring principle
DIY material test
The building owner can carry out do-it-yourself (DIY) material tests and assess dry density, porosity, specific heat capacity, water uptake, and moisture content. Download the DIY guide here.
The video illustrates how to test the hygrothermal properties of bricks in a simple way.
^
To top