Knee Point Detection in Water Absorption Curves: Hygric Resistance in Multilayer Building Materials

The moisture transfer process in multilayered building components with an interface is very different than the moisture transfer considered when having different materials/layers separately. Quantifying moisture transfer in multi-layered systems through numerical simulations is essential to predict the real behaviour of those building materials in contact with moisture, which depends on the climatic conditions. Unfortunately, the contact phenomenon is neglected in numerical simulations which compromise the feasibility of the results. In this work, the moisture transfer in multi-layered building components is analysed in detail, for perfect contact and hydraulic contact interface. The “knee point” was detected, numerically, in water absorption curves and the moisture-dependent interface resistance was quantified and validated for transient conditions. The methodology proposed to detect the “knee point” can be also used in the future for different multilayer materials with an interface, in order to obtain more correct maximum hygric resistance values, to be used in future numerical simulations.