Thermal conductivity of polyurethane insulation boards subjected to temporary compression
Zbigniew Respondek¹* (orcid id: 0000-0003-0204-5061)
Kacper Woźny¹ (student)
¹ Czestochowa University of Technology, Poland
Article (PDF)
Abstract:
This article examines the validity of using polyurethane boards (PUR and PIR) in ground-
-based floor construction. Currently, polystyrene (EPS or XPS) boards are most commonly used. The
use of PUR and PIR boards raises some concerns among designers and contractors regarding their
performance under load, such as a cement screed layer. The aim of the study was to assess the
effect of simulated temporary loading of polyurethane boards on their ther- mal insulation
performance. The performance of polyurethane samples was also compared with that of XPS
polystyrene. A lambda meter was used to measure thermal conductivity. The λ-value of
samples cut from the plates was measured and then the test was repeated after 30 days of seasoning
these samples under load. Changes in sample thickness were also mon- itored. It was found that all
seasoned samples showed a slight decrease in insulating perfor- mance, however this was not due to
a reduction in sample thickness under load. Thickness changes were minimal in all cases. No
significant differences were observed in the perfor- mance of polyurethane and polystyrene samples
under load. The advantage of polyurethane is that its λ-value is over 30 % better than
that of XPS, but when selecting the material, eco- nomic and environmental aspects should also be
taken into account.
Keywords: thermal conductivity, polyurethane products, ground-based floor, lambda meter
Politechnika Częstochowska uczelnią dostępną.
