Thesis
Modified structural insulated panels using three-dimensional hollow-core wood-strand composite sandwich panel structural skins
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2012
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/101110
Abstract
In 2010, the United States was the largest energy consumer of the world with 40 percent of this energy consumed by the building sector. In an effort to curb this consumption, legislation has continued to restrict building energy codes, some of which affect the design and construction of the building envelope. If improperly designed for these new code restrictions, exterior envelopes may promote moisture entrapment and/or microbial growth on or within the structure, harming not only the structural integrity, but creating a dangerous environment for indoor inhabitants. In the essence of striving for a more energy efficient and higher quality indoor environmental conditions, this study investigates the traditional structural insulated panel (SIP) with a modified three-dimensional hollow-core wood-strand composite sandwich panel (HCP) structural skin. This high performance building panel capitalizes on the known benefits of SIPs, while aiming to enhance thermal and moisture behavior. Investigations of this modified SIP demonstrated that through passive ventilation of the exterior structural skin cores, drying capabilities were increased. Parametric analysis between the traditional SIP construction (with solid OSB skins) and the modified construction (with HCP structural skins) revealed that the unique core of the HCP increased the surface area from which to relieve moisture to circulating air. Results demonstrated that during hygrothermal modeling simulations at ventilation flow rates of 0.2 L/s to 1.6 L/s, the modified construction significantly, in not entirely eliminated, normalized microbial growth potential over standard construction. A second case study focused on exterior and interior cores of the HCP skin filled with form stable phase change material (PCM). The modified panel (with PCM at exterior cores or without PCM entirely) was able to curb peak heat flux at the interior assembly surface by 6 to 35 percent. Results also demonstrated potential moisture problems due to the impermeable nature of the PCM. Even at heightened infiltration rates, entrapment of initial moisture content could not be relieved and a potential for fungal decay was present. In the configuration studied, the potential thermal benefits of PCM were outweighed by the increased risk of moisture entrapment and associated microbial growth and decay risks
Metrics
8 File views/ downloads
17 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Modified structural insulated panels using three-dimensional hollow-core wood-strand composite sandwich panel structural skins
- Creators
- Bailey Rae Brown
- Contributors
- Donald A. Bender (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525027101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis