Publication

Experimental study of micro-cracks in laboratory and in situ using infrared thermography

Bibliographic Details
Summary:	Non-destructive techniques are essential to detect common pathologies and analyse the building behaviour. Infrared thermography is a testing technology that has been applied to buildings diagnosis for some decades. However, there are still some applications which are not yet completely explored like the detection of micro-cracks on faÃ_ade coating materials. In this paper we present a brief introduction of the fundamentals of infrared thermography as well as the results of wetting and drying processes of wall coating samples with micro-cracks carried out in laboratory with very closely controlled climatic conditions. The results of an in situ campaign to evaluate this pathology in two distinguished faÃ_ades are also presented. This study reflects on the limitations of the application of infrared thermography to access micro-cracks and clearly demonstrates the difficulty on controlling measurements in field conditions due to the wide range of parameters that may affect the thermograms. Â(c) (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.
Subject:	Civil engineering, Civil engineering Engenharia civil, Engenharia civil
Country:	Portugal
Document type:	book
Access type:	Restricted
Associated institution:	Repositório Aberto da Universidade do Porto
Language:	English
Origin:	Repositório Aberto da Universidade do Porto

Description
Summary:	Non-destructive techniques are essential to detect common pathologies and analyse the building behaviour. Infrared thermography is a testing technology that has been applied to buildings diagnosis for some decades. However, there are still some applications which are not yet completely explored like the detection of micro-cracks on faÃ_ade coating materials. In this paper we present a brief introduction of the fundamentals of infrared thermography as well as the results of wetting and drying processes of wall coating samples with micro-cracks carried out in laboratory with very closely controlled climatic conditions. The results of an in situ campaign to evaluate this pathology in two distinguished faÃ_ades are also presented. This study reflects on the limitations of the application of infrared thermography to access micro-cracks and clearly demonstrates the difficulty on controlling measurements in field conditions due to the wide range of parameters that may affect the thermograms. Â(c) (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.