Influence of a period of wet weather on the heat transfer across a wall covered with uncoated medium density expanded cork

Steady and unsteady state conditions were simulated. For comparison purposes, winter and summer environmental conditions for both dry and wet weather were assumed. The results show that the thermal behavior of the wall is only affected in the rainy period, until the first few hours when the expanded cork board starts to dry. When rain is simulated, the temperature of the water has a key effect on the wall's behavior. The moisture transport phenomenon and changes in the hygrothermal material properties are almost entirely confined to the upper layers of expanded cork board and to the rainy period.