Research on the Impacts of Speed Drying

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Research on the Impacts of Speed Drying

• Paul Lambert
• CIM

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Purpose of the Investigation

• To determine objectively the performance of the
  commercially available Dryair heating system in
  returning a range of water saturated building
  elements, simulating flood damage, to an
  acceptable condition similar to their original
  dry state.

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Methodology

• A range of common construction materials and
  fabricated elements were assessed, including
  solid and double-skin walls, suspended timber
  floors and composite timber components such as
  doors.
• The various material samples and structural
  elements were accurately weighed before and after
  drying to monitor the take-up and loss of water.

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Methodology

• Detailed dimensional monitoring and close visual
  inspections were carried out throughout the
  evaluation to identify any damage or distortion
  resulting from the wetting and drying cycle.

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Test Samples

• Brick
• Reclaimed Brick Solid Wall
• Second Grade Brick/Concrete Block Cavity Wall
• London Brick/Breeze Block Cavity Wall
• Timber
• Floorboard
• Skirting/Architrave

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Test Samples

• Timber fabricated
• Softwood Door
• Hardwood Door
• Chair
• Miscellaneous
• Plasterboard

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Test Facility
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Reclaimed Brick Panel
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Second Grade/Concrete Panel
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London Brick/Breeze Panel
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Additional Brick Samples
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Timber
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Samples Under Test
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Monitoring
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Monitoring - temperature
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Monitoring - RH
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Results weight change
Reclaimed Bricks
4.5
-4
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Results weight change
Second Grade Brick/Concrete Block
6
-6
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Results weight change
London Brick/Breeze Block
7
-5.5
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Results weight change
Floorboards
18
-19
21
Results weight change
Skirting Board
19
-19
22
Results weight change
Chair (upholstered)
38
-45
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Results weight change
Plasterboard
37
-38
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Results weight change
Softwood Door
5
-5
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Results weight change
Hardwood Door
5
-7
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Dimension Change wall panels
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Dimension Change wall panels

• The maximum differential strain in the wall
  panels was observed immediately after drying.
• These results can be largely explained by the
  thermal extension of wall panels and after
  cooling the level was reduced to approximately
  100 microstrains.
• This level of microstrain is not sufficient to
  cause a significant risk of tensile cracking in
  the wall panels and no such cracking was observed.

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Dimension Change - doors
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Dimension Change - doors
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Dimension Change - doors
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Dimension Change - plasterboard
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Conclusions

• The Dryair Moisture Flush process was extremely
  effective in removing water from a wide range of
  common construction materials that had been
  saturated to simulate elements of a flood
  affected structure within a short period of time.
• A constant and equal distribution of heat and
  humidity was achieved in the test chamber during
  the period of the evaluation. This assisted in
  ensuring rapid and effective drying with minimal
  distortion due to thermal and humidity
  differentials.
• No measurable or observable permanent damage was
  recorded for the masonry wall panels during the
  wetting and drying exercise. Similarly, a
  sandstone sample was not adversely affected by
  the drying process.

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Conclusions

• The more absorbent and moisture sensitive
  materials did show varying levels of marginal
  distortion as a result of wetting and drying
  although these were generally within acceptable
  limits.
• The exceptions were the plasterboard which
  distorted upon wetting, and the interior door
  where the facing to one side became partly
  detached, again during the wetting phase.
• The monitoring of temperature and relative
  humidity during the drying process appears to be
  a simple and effective method of monitoring the
  progress of the drying process for most practical
  applications of building or structural drying.

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