Title
Numerical and surrogate modeling of drying processes in building envelopes under variable climatic conditions
Authors
[ 1 ] Instytut Budownictwa, Wydział Inżynierii Lądowej i Transportu, Politechnika Poznańska | [ P ] employee
Scientific discipline (Law 2.0)
Year of publication
2025
Article type
scientific article
Publication language
english
Keywords
EN
- Moisture content
- WUFI 2D
- Building envelope moisture
- Material drying
- Gaussian processes
- Principal component analysis
Abstract
EN Variable climate conditions, including increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as floods and prolonged rainfall, pose a significant challenge to the durability and functionality of building materials. This study analyzes the drying time of multilayer wall partitions subjected to fluctuating moisture loads and different initial moisture levels. A series of hygrothermal simulations was conducted using WUFI software, which solves coupled nonlinear differential equations describing heat and moisture transport in porous materials. The simulations were carried out for various wall configurations commonly used in construction, including autoclaved aerated concrete, ceramic blocks, silicate blocks, and concrete units, using climatic data for Warsaw. Initial moisture levels ranged from air-dry to fully saturated conditions. The results indicate that the drying process strongly depends on the type of material; aerated concrete and silicate blocks showed faster drying rates, while some layers, such as gypsum boards and adhesives, demonstrated significant moisture accumulation during the early stages. Based on these results, a surrogate model was developed using stochastic modeling techniques and principal component analysis (PCA) to compress the simulation data and predict drying times. This model enables rapid estimation of drying periods under various exposure scenarios, supporting improved design and risk assessment after water damage to building envelopes.
Date of online publication
24.10.2025
Pages (from - to)
139014-1 - 139014-17
Comments
Article Number: 139014
Ministry points / journal
200
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