Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
11.1.2.3.
Variation of hydric profiles inside the wall
To follow the variation of water content along the vertical profile inside the wall,
the relative variation in water content is calculated with respect to the values
measured at the start of monitoring in November 1994.
Relative variation of water content = (
w
i
−
w
o
)/
w
o
where:
w
o
is water content measured in November 1994; and
w
i
is water content measured on the same point at a given moment
t
i
.
A positive gap in variation of water content corresponds the wall gaining water
and a negative gap underlines a drying of the wall, with respect to the start of
experimental monitoring.
Variations in the water content profile can also be drawn as a function of
instrumented vertical profile inside the wall.
In 1995, large variations of water content were observed throughout the wall.
These hydric exchanges were mainly due to the set-up of the lime mortar (binding
water) and to the slow, free water balancing inside the wall (slow phenomenon).
These water content gradients are also disturbed by outside events such as, for
instance, the application of plaster on the inside wall, which involved water gain in
the wall.
Figure 11.3
.
Variations of temperature and moisture inside the wall
