Journal Home > Volume 11 , Issue 6

A finite element based hygrothermal model consisting of several interconnected components with varying number of spatial dimensions was applied to analyze the time-dependent temperature and humidity conditions of a mechanically depressurized and ventilated crawl space. Purpose of the depressurization is to prevent the intrusion of radon or other insanitary particles into indoor air. However, in typical foundation structures the depressurization will cause airflow from soil into the crawl space air and it may convey excessive moisture making the hygrothermal conditions potential for mould growth or other moisture-induced biological damage, which is not considered to be acceptable even with the depressurization. Although in general the forced convection of humidity from soil presumably increases relative humidity in crawl space, significant heat capacity of the ground may warm the air flowing into the crawl space and thus decrease the relative humidity. Overall effect of the depressurization on the conditions in crawl space is therefore not trivial. Because a full-scale three-dimensional finite element analysis of heat, mass and momentum transfer in crawl space and its surroundings would require excessive computational resources, several simplifications were necessary to apply in the model. According to the numerical results, the airflow through drainage layer into crawl space does not seem to have severe effect on the crawl space conditions. Conversely, in cold periods the relative humidity in crawl space is very low because of the air temperature is increased while flowing through the drainage layer.


menu
Abstract
Full text
Outline
About this article

Numerical study of time-dependent hygrothermal conditions in depressurized crawl space

Show Author's information Juha SaloPetteri Huttunen( )Juha VinhaTimo Keskikuru
TUT, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 527, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland

Abstract

A finite element based hygrothermal model consisting of several interconnected components with varying number of spatial dimensions was applied to analyze the time-dependent temperature and humidity conditions of a mechanically depressurized and ventilated crawl space. Purpose of the depressurization is to prevent the intrusion of radon or other insanitary particles into indoor air. However, in typical foundation structures the depressurization will cause airflow from soil into the crawl space air and it may convey excessive moisture making the hygrothermal conditions potential for mould growth or other moisture-induced biological damage, which is not considered to be acceptable even with the depressurization. Although in general the forced convection of humidity from soil presumably increases relative humidity in crawl space, significant heat capacity of the ground may warm the air flowing into the crawl space and thus decrease the relative humidity. Overall effect of the depressurization on the conditions in crawl space is therefore not trivial. Because a full-scale three-dimensional finite element analysis of heat, mass and momentum transfer in crawl space and its surroundings would require excessive computational resources, several simplifications were necessary to apply in the model. According to the numerical results, the airflow through drainage layer into crawl space does not seem to have severe effect on the crawl space conditions. Conversely, in cold periods the relative humidity in crawl space is very low because of the air temperature is increased while flowing through the drainage layer.

Keywords: crawl space, COMSOL Multiphysics, depressurization, multicomponent hygrothermal model

References(34)

M Airaksinen (2003). Moisture and fungal spore transport in outdoor air-ventilated crawl spaces in a cold climate. PhD Thesis, Helsinki University of Technology, Finland.
H Arvela, O Holmgren, H Reisbacka (2012). STUK-A252: Indoor radon mitigation. Helsinki: STUK. (In Finnish)
C4 (2003). National Building Code of Finland, Energy efficiency: Thermal insulation Guidelines. Helsinki: Ministry of the Environment.
COMSOL Multiphysics (2016). COMSOL Multiphysics Reference Manual 5.2a. COMSOL AB.
TMO Diallo, B Collignan, F Allard (2013). Analytical quantification of airflows from soil through building substructures. Building Simulation, 6: 81–94.
TMO Diallo, B Collignan, F Allard (2015a). Air flow models for sub-slab depressurization systems design. Building and Environment, 87: 327–341.
TMO Diallo, B Collignan, F Allard (2015b). 2D Semi-empirical models for predicting the entry of soil gas pollutants into buildings. Building and Environment, 85: 1–16.
TMO Diallo, B Collignan, F Allard (2017). Analytical quantification of the impact of sub-slab gravel layer on the airflow from soil into building substructures. Building Simulation, doi:.
EN ISO (2012). EN ISO 13788:2012. Hygrothermal performance of building components and building elements. Internal surface temperature to avoid critical surface humidity and interstitial condensation. Calculation methods. European Committee for Standardization.
AJ Gadgil (1992). Models of radon entry. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 45: 373–379.
C-E Hagentoft (2001). Introduction to Building Physics. Lund, Sweden: Studentlitteratur AB.
DB Henschel (1992). Indoor radon reduction in crawl-space houses: A review of alternative approaches. Indoor Air, 2: 272–287.
A Hukka, HA Viitanen (1999). A mathematical model of mould growth on wooden material. Wood Science and Technology, 33: 475–485.
M Jiranek, Z Svoboda (2007). Numerical modelling as a tool for optimisation of sub-slab depressurisation systems design. Building and Environment, 42: 1994–2003.
T Keskikuru, H Kokotti, S Lammi, P Kalliokoski (1999). How did wind affect the radon entry into seven detached houses. In: Proceedings of Radon in the Living Environment, Athens, Greece, pp. 309–319.
T Keskikuru, H Kokotti, P Kalliokoski (2000a). Pressure differences in seven supply and exhaust ventilated houses. In: Proceedings of Healthy Buildings, Espoo, Finland, vol, 3, pp. 91–97.
T Keskikuru, H Kokotti, S Lammi, P Kalliokoski (2000b). Variation of radon entry rate into two detached houses. Atmospheric Environment, 34: 4819–4828.
T Keskikuru, H Kokotti, S Lammi, P Kalliokoski (2001). Effect of various factors on rate of radon entry rate into two different types of houses. Building and Environment, 36: 1091–1098.
H Künzel (1995). Simultaneous heat and moisture transport in building components—One- and two-dimensional calculation using simple parameters. PhD Thesis, Fraunhofer Institute of Building Physics, Germany.
J Kurnitski (2000). Humidity control in outdoor-air-ventilated crawl spaces in cold climate by means of ventilation, group covers and dehumidification. PhD Thesis, Helsinki University of Technology, Finland.
Leivo V, Rantala J (2001). The moisture behavior of the base floor structures. Research report 106, Tampere University of Technology. (in Finnish)
LVI 06-40064 (2004). A functioning crawl space. Information grain card. Helsinki: Rakennustieto. (in Finnish)
M Matilainen, J Kurnitski (2003). Moisture conditions in highly insulated outdoor ventilated crawl spaces in cold climates. Energy and Buildings, 35: 175–187.
WW Nazaroff (1992). Radon transport from soil to air. Reviews of Geophysics, 30: 137–160.
B Nusser, M Teibinger (2012). Coupled heat and moisture transfer in building components—Implementing WUFI approaches in COMSOL Multiphysics. In: Proceedings of the 2012 COMSOL Conference, Milan, Italy.
T Ojanen, H Viitanen, R Peuhkuri, K Lähdesmäki, J Vinha, K Salminen (2010). Mold growth modeling of building structures using sensitivity classes of materials. In: Proceedings of thermal performance of the exterior envelopes of whole buildings XI, Clearwater Beach, FL, USA.
J Rantala, V Leivo (2007). Thermal and moisture parameters of a dry coarse-grained fill or drainage layer. Construction and Building Materials, 21: 1726–1731.
RIL 107 (2012). Water and moisture proofing of buildings. Technical Report. Finnish Association of Civil Engineers (Suomen Rakennusinsinöörien Liitto RIL ry). (in Finnish)
WJ Riley, AJ Gadgil, YC Bonnefous, WW Nazaroff (1996). The effect of steady winds on radon-222 entry from soil into houses. Atmospheric Environment, 30: 1167–1176.
H Viitanen, J Vinha, K Salminen, T Ojanen, R Peuhkuri, L Paajanen, K Lähdesmäki (2010). Moisture and bio-deterioration risk of building materials and structures. Journal of Building Physics, 33: 201–224.
J Vinha, A Laukkarinen, M Mäkitalo, S Nurmi, P Huttunen, et al. (2013). Effects of climate change and increasing of thermal insulation on moisture performance of envelope assemblies and energy consumption of buildings. Research Report 159, Tampere University of Technology, Finland. (in Finnish)
N Williams Portal (2011). Evaluation of heat and moisture induced stress and strain of historic building materials and artefacts. Master Thesis, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
Z Zeng, R Grigg (2006). A criterion for non-Darcy flow in porous media. Transport in Porous Media, 63: 57–69.
OC Zienkiewicz, RL Taylor, P Nithiarasu (2013). The Finite Element Method: The Finite Element Method for Fluid Dynamics, 7th edn. kidlington, UK: Elsevier Science.
Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 01 November 2017
Revised: 20 March 2018
Accepted: 11 April 2018
Published: 03 May 2018
Issue date: December 2018

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018

Acknowledgements

This project was funded by Finnish Ministry of The Environment (operational programme: Kosteus-ja hometalkoot), which is gratefully acknowledged.

Return