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Energy-Efficient, Flood-Damage-Resistive

Residential Envelope Systems Testing(Final Project Review)

June 16, 2005

Robert Wendt, Oak Ridge National Lab

Heshmat Aglan, Tuskegee University

Sherry Livengood, Oak Ridge National Lab

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Project Objective:

Investigate impact of flood water on performance of traditional and flood- damage-resistant residential envelope systems.

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Project Background:

ORNL and Tuskegee University collaborated on this multi-year project

Sponsors: HUD, FEMA and DOE (initially) Tasks included:

1) Field testing and evaluation2) Best practices guidance3) Representative floodwater identification4) Laboratory testing and evaluation5) Pre-standards recommendations

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Project Methodology: Field testing of full-size, complete system level

modules Controlled flooding with untreated lake water. Uncontrolled drying conditions (subject to local weather

conditions) Lab testing of full size representative system

sample Controlled “flooding” with representative flood water Semi-controlled drying conditions (similar to local

weather) Focus on wetting and drying damage. Address material property changes and

restorability

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Experimental Facility at Tuskegee University

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Field Test Modules

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Crawl Space Test Module

Before and During Flooding

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Field and Lab Testing was guided by:

Protocol for field testing Protocol for drying out test facilities Detailed evaluation format and data sheets Protocol for laboratory testing Specification for representative floodwater

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Data Collected from Field Modules and Lab Samples

Visual observations (interior and exterior) Pictorial documentation Moisture content in various elements Relative humidity profiles Temperature profiles Mechanical properties Mold observations

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Module C-4 field testing and evaluation

Further explored flood damage resistant envelope materials

Provided a reference point to compare lab testing results

Investigated the performance and impact of kitchen base cabinets

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Module S-1moisture content of

gypsum wallboard

Interior wall (open cavity) South exterior wall (fiberglass insulation)

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Module C-4 moisture content of gypsum wallboards

(Room C-401)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Time (Days)

Moi

stur

e co

nten

t

Wall 2 belowWall 2 aboveWall 3 belowWall 3 aboveWall 4 belowWall 4 aboveWall 6 belowWall 6 above

(Room C-402)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Time (Days)M

oist

ure

cont

ent

Wall 1 belowWall 1 aboveWall 4 belowWall 4 aboveWall 5 belowWall 5 above

Water resistant green board with SPUF (Wall 1) or fiberglass (Wall 4) insulation in exterior walls

Conventional gypsum board with SPUF insulation in exterior walls

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Module S-1 post flood interior wall mold growth

Mold growth

Post flood (12 days)

Water level

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Module C-4 post flood interior wall conditions

Pre-flood condition Post-flood condition

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Module C-4 temperature and relative humidity data

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60Time (Days)

Relat

ive H

umidi

ty (%

)

Interior partitionUnder ceilingExterior wall (South) - Wall 3Weather Station RH

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60

Time (Days)

Tem

pera

ture

(F)

Exterior wall Under ceiling Interior wall Temp out

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Modules C-1 & S-1 flexural strength test data

Post 30 day drying period flexural strength of gypsum board based on four point bending tests

Module C-1 (Crawl Space)

Module S-1 (Slab on grade)

Exterior Wall (Fiberglass insulation) Interior Wall (Open Cavity)

Above water level Below water level Above water level Below water level

3.67 MPa 1.88 MPa 3.75 MPa 3.17 MPa

Exterior Wall (Fiberglass insulation) Interior Wall (Open Cavity)

Above water level Below water level Above water level Below water level

3.2 MPa 1.64 MPa 3.68 MPa 3.56 MPa

MPa = Mega Pascals

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Flexural Strength for Wall 4 in Module 4-CGreen Gypsum with Fiber Glass Insulation

Sample # Max Stress (MPa)

(Below Water)

Max Stress (MPa)

(Above Water)

Max Stress(MPa)

(As Received)

1 3.6 5.9 5.0

2 3.9 5.9 5.1

3 4.7 5.7 4.5

4 3.9 5.8 5.0

Average 4.1 5.8 4.9

Aver. With SPUF

5.6 6.2 4.9

Moisture 0.2 0.4 0.2

Flexural Strength for Wall 4 in Module 4-CRegular Gypsum Board with Foam Insulation

Sample # Max Stress (MPa)

(Below Water)

Max Stress (MPa)

(Above Water)

Max Stress(MPa)

(As Received)

1 3.6 5.5 4.7

2 3.6 5.0 5.4

3 3.2 5.4 3.9

4 3.6 5.4 -

Average 3.5 5.3 4.7

Moisture 0.2 0.4 0.3

Modules C-4 flexural strength test data

Post drying period (180 day) flexural strength of green board and conventional gypsum board based on four point bending tests

MPa = Mega Pascals

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Module C-4 - Vinyl flooring (above) and SPUF (below) inhibits subfloor drying

Moisture content in the subflooring

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time (Days)

Mo

istu

re (

%)

Floor room 401Floor room 402

Wind blown rain

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Module C-4 kitchen base cabinet tests

Pre-flood Condition Post-flood condition (30 days)

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Mold growth behind base cabinet 10 months after flood exposure

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Module C-4 exterior before and after flooding

Post-flood conditionPre-flood condition

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Observations from Module C-4

“Water resistant” green board does not perform well under flood conditions

Wood sub-flooring between vinyl flooring and SPUF insulation will not dry

High ambient temperatures may impede mold growth

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Best Practices Guidance:

Based on analysis/evaluation of field test data to determine performance of materials and systems

Provided flood damage resistance findings regarding:

- available materials/systems

- clean-up and restoration methods

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Best practices guidance flyer

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Representative floodwater – approach used

Identify most likely contaminants in flood water

Define representative flood water characteristics

Describe a reproducible representative floodwater for use in lab experiments

Use in tests of damage resistant systems and materials and evaluate results

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Sources for defining floodwater components

Library/internet search of quantitative and qualitative components of flood water

Flood data from USGS/FEMA and analyze Survey and interview of flood plain

managers and other flood experts Flood Response Industry Advisory Group

(FRIAG)

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Tasks to define floodwater components

Develop selected list of “typical” floodwater components and review with expert advisors

Create a replicable “recipe” for field experiments and review with expert advisors

Develop test plan for lab experiments and compare results with field experiments

Evaluate “recipe” and refine based on lab testing

Report findings as input to pre-standards process

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Laboratory testing and evaluation

Develop and evaluate lab test protocols Compare lab test with field test results Evaluate proposed representative

floodwater Test samples with contaminated

floodwater – surrogate sewage, oil, staining agent (clay)

Provide input to pre-standard

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Laboratory test samples were developed

Full scale testing of system performance

Conventional drywall and wall finish

SPUF insulation OSB sheathing and

vinyl siding Standard wood

framing and subfloor

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Five identical samples were fabricated and tested

Inside Outside

Section

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Sample - during immersion (flood) testing

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Samples after draining “floodwater”

Floor and interior (drying in tank – days 4-8)

Exterior (drying in lab – days 8-28)

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Sample-1 moisture content of gypsum wallboard compared with Module C-2

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

0 10 20 30 40

Time ( days)

Moi

stur

e co

nten

t ( %

)

interior wall, C201, above water lineinterior wall, C201, below water lineinterior wall, C202, above water lineinterior wall, C202, below water lineWall-1, above water lineWall-1, below water lineWall-2, above water lineWall-2, below water lineWall-3, above water lineWall-3, below water lineWall-4, above water lineWall-4, below water line

Above the flood level

Below flood level

drying period

Module C-2Sample - 1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Time (Days)

Mo

istu

re

Gypsun above water

Gypsum below water

Sample 1 - Tuskegee Lake Water

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Samples – 1 & 2 lab temperature and relative humidity data

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Time (HRS)

Rel

ativ

e H

um

idity

(%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Tem

per

atu

re (F

)

Temperature

10/13/0412 pm

Relative Humidity

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Sample - 1 flexural strength test data for gypsum wallboard

Post drying period flexural strength of conventional gypsum wallboard based on four point bending tests

Sample - 1 and Module S-1

Sample - 1 (SPUF insulation) Module S-1 (no insulation)

Above water level Below water level Above water level Below water level

4.31 MPa 4.41 MPa 3.68 MPa 3.56 MPa

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Recommendations to pre-standards from representative floodwater

Accomplish additional work to develop a more representative floodwater

Test flood damage resistance with representative floodwater alone as basic test

If successful, then add individual contaminants to floodwater

Base certification on passing basic test alone with supplementary certifications for specific contaminants

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Recommendations to pre-standards from laboratory testing

Revise NES and ORNL test protocols which do not adequately reflect results from field tests Water too benign Dries too quickly No mold development

Use test samples developed which have the potential to represent field conditions