Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 12(1), pp. 375 - 390
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2024.120128
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Finite Element Analysis on the Effect of Concrete Bridging on Thermal Conductivity of Sandwich (Insulated) Precast Wall Panels


Precious M. Hernandez *, Gilford B. Estores
School of Civil, Environmental and Geological Engineering, Mapua University, Philippines

ABSTRACT

In the past decade, there has been an increase in attention towards studying the thermal performance of buildings due to environmental changes that can cause discomfort for occupants. Researchers have been exploring ways to reduce heat exchange between a building's internal and external sides, with precast sandwich wall panels being one of the most effective techniques for improving thermal performance. However, adding insulation inside the precast element can sometimes compromise the structural integrity of the panel. To address this issue, some designers choose to connect the panel's internal and external wythes to form a solid region. Unfortunately, these designers may not be aware that solid regions can result in thermal bridging, as they may not have the experience with the thermal performance of sandwich wall panels. This paper studied five cases of panels, one of which was the control case without any bridging and the others with various concrete bridging arrangements. The objective of this study is to validate the model's performance in simulating the physical behavior of the panels for different parameter values such as insulation material, insulation thickness, the thickness of the wythes, and geometric ratio of the wall. The parametric study was conducted using finite element analysis to assess the magnitude of the effect of concrete bridging on sandwich wall panels. The results indicate that concrete bridging has a considerable impact on the thermal resistance of the sandwich wall panels. The presence of concrete bridging significantly decreases the thermal resistance (R-value) of the panels.

KEYWORDS
Sandwich Wall Panel, Finite Element Modeling, Thermal Resistance, Thermal Bridging

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Precious M. Hernandez , Gilford B. Estores , "Finite Element Analysis on the Effect of Concrete Bridging on Thermal Conductivity of Sandwich (Insulated) Precast Wall Panels," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 375 - 390, 2024. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2024.120128.

(b). APA Format:
Precious M. Hernandez , Gilford B. Estores (2024). Finite Element Analysis on the Effect of Concrete Bridging on Thermal Conductivity of Sandwich (Insulated) Precast Wall Panels. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 12(1), 375 - 390. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2024.120128.