THE THERMAL AND MOISTURE PERFORMANCE OF CELLULAR POLYSTYRENE INSULATION IN ROADS

TJAELISOLERING I VAEGAR. VAERME- OCH FUKTTEKNISK FUNKTION LABORATORIEPROVNINGAR, PROVUTTAG FRAAN VAEGER

The thermal insulation performance of cellular plastic, used in roads as a protection against frost heave, gradually deteriorates with time as a result of the accumulation of moisture in the material and (for certain materials) as a result of change in the composition of the gas in the cells. In order to be able to measure the thermal and moisture performance of insulation, a method of assessment and a method for accelerated moisture uptake under laboratory conditions have been developed. Between 1975 and 1992 SP has, in conjunction with the Swedish Road and Traffic Research Insitute (VTI) and the Swedish Road Administration, investigated road insulation materials from several different test roads, enabling parameters such as moisture content, thermal conductivity, density and rate of uptake of moisture to be determined in the field and in the laboratory. The changes in moisture content as a function of exposure time in the field have been plotted for all the test samples, which were either extruded polystyrene (XPS) or expanded polystyrene (EPS). Despite a very heterogeneous sample body, including different types of materials, different depths of roads and different climatic conditions a relatively clear relationship between moisture content and age has been found for XPS. For this, the thermal conductivities of recovered samples of XPS and EPS have been investigated as functions of moisture content. Finally, it has been possible to compare the rates of moisture uptake in the laboratory and in the field. A relationship has been found for XPS: on average, moisture uptake in the laboratory proceeds about 60 times faster than in the field. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to determine a scaling factor for EPS, as the spread of values has been too great. (A)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9178483891
• Corporate Authors:

  Statens Provingsanstalt, Polymerteknik

  Box 857
  Boraas,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • JONSSON, B
• Publication Date: 1993

Language

• Swedish

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 27P+A p.
• Serial:
  • STATENS PROVNINGSANSTALT RAPPORT
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Statens Provingsanstalt, Polymerteknik
  • ISSN: 0284-5172

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aging (Materials); Evaluation and assessment; Expanded materials; Experimental roads; Field tests; Frost protection; Insulation blankets; Laboratories; Moisture content; Plastics; Test procedures; Thermal conductivity; Time
• ITRD Terms: 5292: Ageing; 5906: Conductivity (heat); 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 4502: Expanded material; 2778: Experimental road; 2960: Frost blanket; 6226: In situ; 6237: Laboratory (not an organization); 5920: Moisture content; 7454: Plastic material; 6288: Test method; 5414: Time
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00667946
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
• ISBN: 91-7848-389-1
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Nov 2 1994 12:00AM