Thermomechanical Performance Analysis of Novel Cement-Based Building Envelopes with Enhanced Passive Insulation...

Area of Science:

• Building Science
• Materials Science
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Energy-efficient buildings are crucial for sustainability.
• Novel materials and manufacturing techniques can significantly improve building envelope performance.
• Traditional insulation methods face limitations in achieving optimal thermal performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel methodology for designing cement-based building envelopes with enhanced insulation.
• To integrate phase-change materials (PCMs) and additive manufacturing for improved thermal properties.
• To investigate the impact of these innovations on indoor thermal comfort.

Main Methods:

• A multiscale, multiphysical simulation framework was employed.
• Microencapsulated PCMs were incorporated into a cementitious matrix.
• Additive manufacturing was used to create novel block designs (HEXCEM).
• Finite element method (FEM) simulations supported material and component design.

Main Results:

• The integration of PCMs increased the heat storage capacity of the cementitious matrix.
• Additive manufacturing enabled the creation of innovative HEXCEM block designs.
• Numerical and experimental tests confirmed enhanced thermal inertia in the designed envelopes.
• The improved thermal performance contributes to increased indoor thermal comfort.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methodology effectively combines advanced materials and manufacturing for superior building envelope insulation.
• The developed HEXCEM blocks demonstrate significant potential for energy-efficient buildings.
• This approach offers a promising pathway to enhance thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption in buildings.