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Michael Lacasse
Phone: 613-993-9715
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Dynamic Wall Testing Facility (DWTF)
Exterior cladding faces inside of apparatus, and is exposed to water spray/air pressure
A unique facility in North America is helping NRC scientists study the performance of exterior walls at controlling rain penetration. Wall specimens can be exposed to simulated wind-driven rain of various intensities.
Water penetration through particular layers of the specimen, as well as the air leakage or venting of those layers can be characterized. Air pressure wind dynamics are simulated by the displacement of a sealed 2.4-m diameter piston, which forms part of the back of the apparatus.
Piston simulates air pressure differences
The displacement of the piston (up to 75 mm) causes the volume of the space between it and the test specimen assembly to increase or decrease, thus varying the air pressure difference across the specimen. The movement of the piston can be programmed to produce sinusoidal, triangular or square wave forms of air pressure at frequencies ranging from 0.1 to 10Hz and amplitudes up to 2KPa. A secondary blower generates the steady-state component of the air pressure dynamics. The apparatus also contains a water spray system that simulates the action of rain.
The specimen is instrumented to measure pressure differential and water accumulation at any number of locations of interest
