Experimental assessment of gypsum walls applied in Brazilian construction

Abstract

The construction of one family dwellings using gypsum walls is a commonpractice in North-east Brazil, a region classified as Tropical dry climate. The abundantgypsum availability associated with low precipitation lead to the development of aconstructive approach where gypsum walls are applied both as interior partitions andenvelope components. As the option for this constructive strategy is mainly empirical, adetailed study has been conducted to evaluate the actual performance of this type of walls.Gypsum blocks with different levels of hydrophobic additions were tested. The experimentalcampaign included the evaluation of some hygrothermal properties: thermal conductivity,capillary absorption and water vapour permeability. Conclusions on the potential reductionof capillary absorption by hydrophobic agents are presented. Additionally, a set ofnumerical simulations using WUFI software were performed, highlighting the effect ofdifferent Brazilian climates on the durability of this type of walls.