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In 1995, a joint research project 1 with the Institute for Research in Construction was initiated to assess the in situ thermal performance of a number of insulation products used as exterior basement insulation in contact with the ground. Sixteen insulation specimens measuring 610 mm and 1220 mm wide were installed on the exterior basement walls of an experimental building, test hut no. 1, located on NRC campus in Ottawa. These specimens were instrumented prior to backfilling and their thermal performance was monitored over two full years. Soil temperatures and moisture content were monitored concurrently. Weather events were recorded daily. This paper focuses on the performance of the two spray polyurethane foam (SPF) specimens assessed in this experiment. Through analysis of the surface temperatures of the specimens, water movement was detected at the insulation/soil interface through various periods of heavy rain and major thaws throughout the two-year period. Over the same period, the surface of the concrete on the inside of the insulation showed no evidence of water penetration through the SPF layer. The insulation specimens were retrieved after 31 months of exposure in the soil. Good and continuous surface adhesion was also noted on removal. Samples were taken from these exposed specimens. When tested in the lab, after recovery and drying of the specimens, the compressive strengths of the SPF samples were slightly higher than those tested at the beginning of the experiment. For the conditions recorded over two years of monitoring, the thermal performance of each insulation specimen was found to be stable through the heating season. The thermal performance appeared not to be significantly affected by water movement at the exterior face of the insulation. One SPF specimen showed steady thermal performance through two heating seasons while the other actually improved in the second year. It was concluded that the key performance factors of the 76 mm thick SPF specimens sprayed on the exterior surfaces of the concrete basement wall all remained at a very good level, i.e., the in situ thermal resistance, the compressive strength, and the moisture contents of the specimens.

Foam plastic thermal insulations have substantially replaced traditional insulations in low sloped roofing systems in North America. Foam plastic thermal insulations used in low sloped roofs are low density (typically 16–48 kg/m3) materials with low permeability to air and water vapour. In many roofs these materials have been directly substituted for traditional (wood and glass fibre) insulations without due attention to the different material characteristics. Moist air movement within roofs,condensation protection (air and vapour barriers),steel deck corrosion,roof membrane blistering and roof traffic damage are discussed. This paper discusses protection of foam plastic thermal insulations in roofing systems, why the protection is needed,and what consequences result if these materials are not protected. Case studies demonstrate the importance of condensation protection in reducing corrosion of galvanized steel in roofs containing closed cell phenolic foam roof insulation in Canada.

The results indicated that commonly used foam plastic roof msula tions will be damaged if exposed to foot traffic, and that their protection with fi brous overlay boards as recommended by roofing contractor associations [1,2] con tinues to be good roofing practice. The results also indicated that finished roof surfaces will be damaged if exposed to frequent roof traffic and that surface protec tion of the membrane is good roofing practice.

In this paper the factors affecting the performance of plaster over polystyrene foam are discussed in relation to recommended application procedures., Reprinted from Canadian Builder, Vol. 13, No. 3, March 1963, p. 35

Closed-cell polyisocyanurate (polyiso) foam insulation with gas barriers or impermeable facers is used in various building envelope applications. The impermeable gas barrier on both sides of polyiso foam insulation board is designed to maintain the long-term thermal resistance (LTTR) of the insulation at a higher level. Recently, researchers at the Institute for Research in Construction (IRC) / National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, in association with the Canadian Polyisocyanurate Council, have been working to develop a standard test methodology that would help to quantify the design LTTR value of polyiso foam insulation boards with impermeable facers. This paper presents selected results from laboratory tests, field observations and numerical modeling. Comparisons among these results indicate that the extent of thermal aging of impermeably faced polyiso foam boards can vary in different products. A concept of combined lateral and normal diffusion has been introduced in the numerical modeling to help prediction of the long-term thermal behavior of impermeably faced polyiso products. However, comparisons between the experimental and numerical modeling results indicate that the ratio of lateral to normal (L/N) diffusion rate is not the same for full thickness boards as for thin slices., IX International Conference on Performance of Exterior Envelopes of Whole Buildings: 05 December 2004, Clearwater Beach, Florida

Polyisocyanurate (polyiso) foam insulation with impermeable facers is known for its superior insulating properties in building envelope applications. The impermeable facer on both sides of polyiso foam insulation board is designed to increase and maintain the long-term thermal resistance (LTTR) of the insulation. Currently, the Institute for Research in Construction (IRC)/National Research Council (NRC) of Canada, in association with the Canadian Polyisocyanurate Council, has embarked on a researchproject to develop a standard test methodology that would help to quantify the design LTTR value of polyiso foam insulation boards with impermeable facers. This paper outlines the research project and presents preliminary test results from experimental work. These preliminary results are discussed with a view to developing a methodology that will be used as the basis for a National Standard in Canada for the determination of LTTR of polyiso foam insulation with impermeable facers., 4th Symposium on Insulation Materials : Testing and Applications - ASTP STP 1426: 21 October 2002, Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A.

Exterior basement insulation performs many functions. It not only provides thermal resistance between the soil and the interior, it also protects the structure from a challenging environment (e.g. moisture from wet soils, heaving and adhering soils due to frost action). It provides a means of water management at the interface of the soil and insulation, while promoting drying out of the structure. In this context, it is important to set performance parameters for setting appropriate materials. The Canadian Urethane Foam Contractors Association established a joint research project with the Institute for Research in Construction to assess the in-situ thermal performance of Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) applied to the exterior of a basement.

Exterior basement insulation performs many functions. It not only provides thermal resistance between the soil and the interior, it also protects the structure from a challenging environment (e.g. moisture from wet soils, heaving and adhering soils due to frost action). It provides a means of water management at the interface of the soil and insulation, while promoting drying out of the structure. In this context, it is important to set performance parameters for setting appropriate materials. The Canadian Urethane Foam Contractors Association established a joint research project with the Institute for Research in Construction to assess the in-situ thermal performance of Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) applied to the exterior of a basement., L'isolation extérieure du sous-sol remplit de nombreuses fonctions. Elle fournit non seulement une résistance thermique entre le sol et l'intérieur, mais aussi protège la structure contre un environnement rigoureux (p. ex. l'humidité des sols détrempés, le soulèvement et l'adhérence du sol en raison du gel). Elle constitueun moyen de maîtrise de l'eau à l'interface du sol et de l'isolant, tout en favorisant l'assèchement de la fondation. Étant donné cette multitude de fonctions, il est important de définir des paramètres de performance afin d'utiliser les matériaux appropriés. La Canadian Urethane Foam Contractors Association et l'Institut de recherche en construction ont lancé un projet de recherche conjoint visant à évaluer laperformance thermique en service de la mousse de polyuréthane pulvérisée (MPP) appliquée sur l'extérieur des murs de sous-sol., Also available in English: In-situ performance evaluation of exterior insulation basement system (EIBS) - Spray polyurethane foam summary report

Spray-polyurethane foams (SPFs) are thermally efficient and can be sprayed to any thickness to provide the desired thermal resistance. Hence, SPFs have proven themselves as insulation for roofs, walls, ducts and pipes in district heating. They also make good air barriers and vapour retarders. While SPFs may represent an ideal building material, some caveats regarding thermal drift or aging and moisture performance must nevertheless be observed. Designers can mitigate both causes for concern by, among other things, adjusting the thickness of the layer of SPFs to be applied.

La mousse de polyuréthane pistolée (MPP) est efficace sur le plan thermique et peut être appliquée en épaisseurs variables de manière à assurer la résistance thermique recherchée. Elle a fait ses preuves comme isolant de toit, de mur, ainsi que de conduits et tuyauterie d'installations de chauffage centralisé. Elle forme aussi de bons pare-air. La MPP peut constituer un matériau de construction idéal, mais il faut prendre garde à certains points, dont la dérive thermique (vieillissement) et la performance hygrométrique de ce type de mousse. Pour remédier en partie à ces problèmes, les concepteurs peuvent notamment faire varier l'épaisseur de la couche de MPP à appliquer.

Thermal Performance of the Exterior Envelopes of Buildings VI: 04 December 1995, Clearwater Beach, Florida, U.S.A.

Replacement of traditional blowing agents, chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), with partial1y halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) that have thermal insulating performance inherently lower than that of CFC brought to question their long-term thermal performance (LTTP). As a result of research activities, two predictive techniques, slicing and scaling or slicing and modeling, are now considered for evaluating long-term thermal performance of different foam products: polyisocyanurate, polyurethane, extruded polystyrene, and phenolic (resole) foams. But without defining: What does the "long

This report deals only with the boardstock foams. It summarizes the key findings of the project and refers to other publications issued during the course of work. Research on sprayed polyurethane foam has already been presented in two reports: "Report on sprayed polyurethane foam with alternative BAS" published by the Polyurethane Division of the Society of Plastics Industry lnc. in 1989 and "Report on factors affecting the field performance of spray applied thermal insulating foams" published in 1993 by the Polyurethane Foam Contractors Division of the SPI Inc.

Roofing Research and Standards Development : 3rd Volume: 19 June 1994, Montreal, Que., Canada

As industry began to evaluate CFC-replacements, it became apparent that foam performance characterizations have been based primarily on empirical evidence collected over a long period of gradualimprovements. Much of the existing wealth of knowledge was simply not applicable to new systems. The development of new products with CFC replacements requires understanding how formulation variables(polyol, isocyanate, blowing agent, catalyst) and manufacturing conditions affect foam properties, how conditions in use affect foam performance and how the process of sample selection and testing may be used to provide feedback to design improved foams., Also presented at the World Congress : Polyurethane '93

When sprayed polyurethane foams are fabricated under field conditions, they usually form a continuous layer that controls the flow of heat, air and moisture through the building component they cover. However, the replacement of blowing agents such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) with partially halogenated hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which have thermal insulating performance inherently lower than that of CFCs, has raised the question of the long-term thermal performance of such foams.

Methodology for the evaluation of long-term thermal performance of cellular plastics is being developed under a collaboration of North American foam industry with the National Research Council of Canada. The mechanism of this collaboration includes a joint research project between the Society of Plastics Industryand the NRC Canada. To evaluate long-term thermal performance (LTTP) of cellular plastics the agingprocess must be accelerated. This can be done either by means of elevated temperature or by the use of thin layers of the foam. The first approach changes the permeability and solubility coefficients of different gases to such a degree that predicting the foam performance under field conditions is difficult.

Reprinted as IRC Paper, IRC-P-3355, NRCC 36108. The publication is stored in the NRC Archives., Polyurethanes World Congress: 10 October 1993, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Spray Foam '93: 08 February 1993

Third International Workshop on Long-Term Thermal Performance of Cellular Plastic Insulation: 04 October 1993, Toronto, Ont., Canada

Thin specimens of cellular plastic insulations are used in thermal resistance and gas diffusion property measurements. It is known that several cells on the surfaces of the test specimens are destroyed during specimen preparation. Hence the effective thickness of the test specimen differs from the geometrical thickness and proper corrections are to be made for the thickness of the destroyed surface layers before other properties are calculated. This note presents an apparatus, its operating principles and an experimental procedure to determine the thickness of destroyed surface layers of cellular plastic insulation test specimens.

The technology for manufacturing high thermal performance cellular plastic insulations such as polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, phenolics and extruded polystyrene uses gases with low thermal conductivity as captive blowing agents. The gas is captured in the closed cells of the material to achieve higher thermal resistance. But once in contact with the atmosphere, the thermal resistances of these materials gradually decrease. This phenomenon is called aging.

Symposium on Insulation Materials : Testing and Applications: 10 October 1991, Gatlinburg, TN, USA

Polyurethane World Congress, 1991 : The Voice of Advancement : Proceedings of the SPI/ISOPA: 24 September 1991, Nice, France

Aussi disponible en francais: Recherche sur les plastiques cellulaires isolants

A non-destructive technique, involving specimen encapsulation and determination of the dependence of thermal resistance on temperature, to measure the blowing agent pressure in cellular plastic insulation was recently presented. This technique was applied to polyurethane foam manufactured with different blowing agents and the results were compared with those obtained from model calculations. The results indicate that the long-term solubility of the gas in the polymer matrix may differ from that determined from short-term experiments. The paper presents results for HCFC-123 and HCFC-141b as well as CFC-11 and discusses their implication for long-term thermal resistance of polyurethane foams., Also presented at the Polyurethane '90 : Proceedings of the SPI 33rd Annual Technical/Marketing Conference, September 30, 1990 in Orlando, Fl, USA

One of the techniques used to determine aging of gas-filled cellular plastics (GFCP) is to correlate the thermal resistance of thin material layers with that of full thickness boards. Either models of aging or scaling factors may be used for this purpose. This paper discusses the concept of scaling factors relating aging of thin and thick layers of GFCP, and points out their limitations.

Moisture gains of three closed cell and one open cell foam plastic insulation were studied in the laboratory. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between rates of moisture gain and temperature-moisture environment under laboratory conditions.

Urethane or polyurethane foam is the second most widely used rigid plastic in the construction industry. One of its unique properties -- its high strength to weight ratio -- makes it the strongest of all the common foam plastics. It comes in a variety of forms: rigid or flexible, low or high density, open or closed celled. It is normally used in a rigid closed celled form for building insulation. Both factory-made board stock and spray-on types are being used more extensively as insulations in building construction. Urethane foam is an effective material but there are limitations that must be understood if it is to perform effectively. This Note has been prepared in an attempt to aid that understanding.

A furnace test method for evaluating the ability of protective materials to prevent excessive contribution of plastic foams to fire growth is described. Furnace test results were compared with those obtained during tests in which the growth of a fire in a corner of a room was simulated. The time of failure, as determined by the furnace tests, was found to be a conservative estimate of the time before protected plastic foams began to contribute significantly to fire growth., Also published in German: Beitrag von abgedeckten Schaum-kunststoffen zur Brandentwicklung

Contract No. 19SR.31155-2-4484, prepared for National Research Council of Canada

The thermal properties of polyurethane foams vary during service life depending on environmental conditions, the manner in which they are enclosed in the building partition, or if covered with facing membranes during their production. The effect of facing materials on thermal performance of the composites range from a slight improvement of dimensional stability to a substantial reduction in the rate of loss of thermal resistance. Faced polyurethanes should be tested as composite materials, using a method that simulates performance conditions as closely as possible. Such a test method should include determination of cell gas composition as a measure of the aging process. Determination of cell gas composition after a period of exposure to different service conditions would allow an approximate correlation of laboratory results with in situ performance. The paper gives background information on effects of environmental factors and aging simulations on thermal resistance of polyurethanes and provides a starting point for discussion of the testing method., Symposium on Thermal Insulation Performance: 22 October 1978, Tampa, FL. USA

Some of the potential fire hazards resulting from the use of foamed-plastic insulation in buildings are considered. Published literature indicates that if foamed plastic is protected on the room side, the hazards are diminished since the foam does not contribute directly to fire growth by spreading flames. When insulation is protected by a thermal barrier, it is found that both preflashover fire growth and post-flashover fire severity are not greatly affected by the insulation., Reprinted from: Proceedings of the Society of the Plastics Industry of Canada's 6th Annual Rigid Polyurethane Foam Committee Fall General Meeting and Conference, 11-13 September, 1985, Hull, Quebec, paper no. 9, Society of the Plastics Industry of Canada's 6th Annual Rigid Polyurethane Foam Committee Fall General Meeting and Conference, 11-13 September, 1985, Hull, Quebec, Canada

Gases other than formaldehyde and hydrocarbons emitted by seven samples of four makes of urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) have been sampled, identified, and their concentrations estimated. Results by capillary column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) of 80 degrees C head space UFFI gases are compared to results by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (APCI/ MS/MS) of UFFI gases purged at 23 degrees C. Estimates of the reproducibility of the two apparatus at the test conditions were made. Twenty components of UFFI gases from these foams were identified and their concentrations estimated by GC/MS. Twenty-two were identified and the concentration of twelve estimated by APCI/MS/MS. Seven were common to both. Results are compared to threshold limit values, or their estimates in order to select the gases that should be monitored in houses and to define the required range and sensitivity for such methods. In both sets of measurements, acetic acid, dioxane, ethylene glycol, and methyl furfural were found in quantities that approached or exceeded a TLV/100 or 0.01 TLV that was established as a ` benchmark' or reference level. The APCI measurements also indicated that acetaldehyde and formic acid were of similar concentrations. The GC/MS results indicated that at a higher temperature, dibutylphthalate, dichlorobenzene, 2- furyl methanol, and naphthalene emitted in quantities that exceed their respective reference concentrations by factors of between 5 and 240. Common household gases appeared to have been stored on UFFI and to be released during tests., Reprinted from: Transactions, Indoor Air Quality in Cold Climates: Hazards and Abatement Measures, APCA Specialty Conference, Ottawa, Ontario, April 1985, p. 208-223, Transactions of Indoor Air Quality in Cold Climates : Hazards and Abatement Measures: 29 April 1985, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Contract No.: 03SU.31155-2-4485, Contract No.: 03SU.31155-2-4485/1, prepared for National Research Council of Canada

These foams have generally good resistance to solvents and most chemicals. Thermosetting (thermoset) foams do not usually exhibit a melting range and can often be used at higher temperatures than thermoplastic foams, and are adaptable to on-site (in situ) foaming. The best known thermoset foams are polyurethane, phenolformaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde; less well known are epoxy and silicone foams. Some, such as phenol-formaldehyde and urea- formaldehyde, are produced with an inorganic acid catalyst and the acid residue can, in some cases, cause corrosion problems. Polyurethane is the most widely used of all thermoset foams. Applications of thermoset foams include use as thermal insulation, core material in sandwich panels, packaging and fabrication of furniture.

A limited number of flammability tests of foamed plastics indicates that the ASTM E162 radiant panel test will rank thermosetting foamed plastics in a plausible merit sequence. The method attributes undue merit, however, to the influence of the low emissivity of aluminum-foil-facing and rates thermoplastic foams very favorably because of their melting and dripping characteristics., Reprinted from: Fire Technology, v. 15, no. 2, May 1979, p. 102-106. ISSN: 0015-2684

International Workshop on Long-term Thermal Performance of Cellular Plastics: 28 September 1989, Huntsville, Ont.

The moisture accumulation in a number of sprayed-in-place polyurethane (PUR), extruded polystyrene (XEPS), and phenolic foam insulations under a temperature gradient has been measured. The temperature dependence of the water vapor permeance of the XEPSs and the phenolics has also been determined. Field measurements on the accumulation of moisture in sprayed-in-place PUR in a wood frame wall of a test building exposed to an Ottawa winter has shown no significant moisture accumulated in the foam when the sheathing on the cold side of the insulation was permeable to the transmitted moisture., Polyurethanes 88 : Proc. SPI 31st Annual Technical/ Marketing Conference: 18 October 1988, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Also presented at the International Workshop on Long- term Thermal Performance of Cellular Plastics, September 28-29, 1989 in Huntsville, Ont., Canada, Polyurethanes '89 : Proceedings of the SPI 32nd Annual Technical/Marketing Conference: 01 October 1989, San Francisco, CA, USA

Recent study indicates that outdoor temperature influences room air and wall cavity formaldehyde concentrations in most, but not all, homes containing formaldehyde insulation., Transactions of Indoor Air Quality in Cold Climates : Hazards and Abatement measures: 29 April 1985, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Rigid Polyurethane Foam : Eighth Canadian Annual Conference: 07 September 1988, Val David, Que, Canada