Temperature gradient across masonry walls under transient conditions: case studies from a warm humid climate
- Vol.103(2), June
- New York Springer 2022
- 663-676p.
The transient thermal behavior of masonry walls from the warm-humid climate of Kerala, India was investigated in this study. The surface and core temperature of three different solid masonry walls were monitored under real-time climatic conditions. An instrumental set-up called ‘Architectural Evaluation System’ was custom fabricated for continuously recording the required parameters. Field study data assimilates the temperature gradient pattern at different positions of the solid masonry wall and analyses the influence of thermos-physical properties of the wall material on the heat transfer. Temperature gradient graphs during the heating period and non-heating period were studied to derive heat transfer patterns of solid masonry walls in a warm humid climate. The external surface temperature profiles fluctuated from 25 to 46 °C, influenced by the solar radiation and the thermal properties of the wall surface. The internal surface temperature and core temperature profiles of all three solid masonry walls fluctuated within a narrow range of high temperature from 28 to 33 °C, indicating a high thermal storage capacity for the wall, and lack of effective night-time cooling. The study adds to the existing field study data and also aids in deciding the optimal wall thickness for energy efficient building design.