Thermal conductivity of construction materials based on gypsum

Abstract

Reduction of energy consumption for buildings is important for new, but also for older buildings that require modernization and reconstruction. Preparation of the design requires good knowledge of the thermal properties of the insulation and other construction materials. Gypsum boards and gypsum-based filling materials are often used for modernization of interiors. The use of inappropriate materials can cause problems with deteriorated thermal insulation properties, thermal bridges, etc. For this reason, development is focused on the production and use of some new materials with better properties. This paper describes the method and the results of measurements focused on different construction materials based on gypsum, which are used mainly for the improvement of interiors of buildings. In this study, three different types of samples of gypsum materials were tested, one of which is a traditional gypsum board, the second one is a gypsum filler material and these samples are compared with the new light gypsum material developed by the Faculty of Environmental and Civil Engineering at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies in Jelgava. Experimental measurements of the test samples were carried out by the Faculty of Engineering at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. The measurement principle is based on a dynamic unsteady method. The measurement consists of the analysis of the thermal response of the tested material to the heat flux pulses. The results of the measurement in real terms are compared with those specified by the manufacturer of building materials. All results of the research are processed by statistical evaluation.