A HYBRID MODELING FOR TRANSIENT HEAT AND MOISTURE TRANSFER IN POROUS HYGROSCOPIC BUILDING MATERIALS

For porous building materials, conservation equations for heat and mass transfer based on Kunzel's formulation are solved analytically under reduced conditions in the Laplace domain. The solutions are then inverted numerically thanks to the Stehfest algorithm. This hybrid modeling is benchmarked using well-documented experimental cases: isothermal heat and moisture transfer through gypsum board and non-isothermal heat and moisture transfer through cellulose insulation. Experimental and simulated results are in good accordance. The assumptions made for the resolution are discussed. A detailed study points out the importance of equilibrium moisture curves to model accurately heat and mass transfer.