In-situ assessment of physical performance and degradation analysis of rendering walls

The use of in-situ diagnostic techniques can lead to a more accurate evaluation of the performance level of façade claddings. The paper aims to evaluate the advantages of using visual inspection and selected in-situ techniques (infrared thermography, Karsten tubes and moisture meter) for the evaluation of the physical performance of renders and their state of deterioration. The main objective of the study is to propose a methodology for in-situ inspections with a low degree of intrusion for the evaluation of physical in-service performance of renders applied on external walls. Three experimental campaigns were performed and different types of renders were analyzed for several in-service conditions. This work enabled the identification of the various factors that affect the results of the selected in-situ techniques. Furthermore, it was made evident, that there are advantages in the cross-comparison of different results, which in certain situations can complement the visual inspection.