Abstract:
This study is on how to measure thermal properties of building materials. The main
objective concerns the measurement of thermal diffusivity by the Periodic Stationary Method.
The validation of measurement was made by comparing the results obtained by that method to a
reference value which was evaluated by the thermal conductivity, measured by the Hot Wire
Method, and the density, obtained following the specific gravity method, and specific heat,
quoted from Literature.
The sample of building materials under consideration was made by TPI cement. Its
thermal conductivity derived from a Quick Thermal Conductivity Meter which works on the Hot
Wire Method is 0.66394± 0.0112 W.m-I.K-1
, while the density obtained from the Specific
Gravity is 2033.06± 17.03 kg.m-J
The specific heat values estimated based on ASHRAE
handbook 1993 of portland cement (clinker) and concrete (stone) it yields 670 J.kg-'.K-' and
653 J. kg-I. K-1 respectively. Based on these results, the amounts of reference thermal
diffusivity of the cement sample are 4.8742x 10-7 and 5.0011x 10-7m2
.S-I, respectively.
Two tests for measuring the thermal diffusivity of the TPI concrete by the Periodic
Stationary Method were made by considering two thickness : 1.5 and 2.0 cm. In each case, the
thermal diffusivity was estimated based on amplitude ratio and phase change. Determination was
made, graphicals by using the recorded thermograms, and theoretically, based on resulting sine
wave. It was found that for 1.5 cm thickness the thermal diffusivity derived from the amplitude
ratio is at 1.5695±O.1834x10-6 m2 s-1 and that obtained from the phase change is at
4.3953± O.1l19x 10-7m2
S-l. For the sample of 2.0 cm thickness, the thermal diffusivity
derived from the amplitude ratio and from the phase change are 1.0687±O.1667x10-6 m2 s-1
and 5.0304± l.0120x10-7 m2
S-l respectively. Based on the thermal sine wave obtained by
graph plotting reveals that the 1.5 cm thick materials has thermal diffusivity measured by the
amplitude ratio and the phase change of 1.3953±O.0381x10-6 m2 s-1 and
5.2931 ± O.3569x 10-7 m2
S-l respectively. Two centimeter thick materials has thermal diffusivity
of 1.1860± O.0667x 10-6 m2
S-I and 6.0586± 1.2999x 10-7 m2
S-I respectively. After comparing
with the reference value, the difference is minimal, especially when thermal diffusivity was
estimated based on phase change. Therefore it can be claimed that working logic of the
equipment and the conditions set in the research can be applied to obtain thermal diffusivity of
building materials which based the Periodic Stationary Method. Improvement of the sine wave
and recording temperature have to be made for more accuracy of the results, as well as measure
of the specific heat value of the sample.