Heat capacity of building materials: New test method

Abstract

A new test method is described for determining the heat capacity of building materials. The test method is a combination of a finite-difference calculation procedure and a parameter identification technique. The measurement of heat capacity is deduced from temperature measurements taken under transient conditions which can be achieved in a calibrated hot box or guarded hot box. The surface temperature and the ambient temperatures on both sides of the sample must be varied. Compared with a conventional electrical method or a ralorimetric method, this new approach can easily be used for testing large samples, and samples integrated in building facades under real-time transient conditions. The test results for two typical samples are presented; first for a window sample and then for an insulation sample. The results using this new method are presented and compared with the heat capacity given in a materials handbook. The comparisons show that this new test method is accurate and can be conveniently used as a software package.