Determination of Long-Term Mechanical Properties for Thermal Insulation under Foundations PDF

Thermal insulation is widely used in applications under sustained loading, such as insulated foundations of buildings. In this application, the impact of thermal insulation is twofold—frost protection and energy saving. In order to maintain the thermal protection of foundations over the lifetime of a building, it is absolutely necessary to predict the long-term mechanical performance of thermal insulation materials. Accordingly, requirements have been defined in the new harmonized European standards for factory-made insulation product.

This paper discusses the impact of these requirements on determination and design of properties for thermal insulation products, such as extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), typically used in this application. The key physical phenomena, which determine the long-term mechanical behavior, are described as well as a mathematical model for prediction of long-term performance.Based on experimental results and findings, conclusions are drawn for the design of thermal insulation layers under foundations.