Waterproof Shaft Element for Simulating Building Insulation Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for testing insulation materials under real environmental conditions, such as those exposed to pressurized groundwater, are inadequate as they rely on assumptions about soil conditions and cannot reliably simulate or document the specific loads and changes in insulation properties over time, making it difficult to compare different building products under varying conditions.
Innovation Solution
A device and experimental setup that simulates real installation conditions by using a waterproof box element with adjustable dimensions, a watertight base, and a liquid container to maintain controlled moisture levels, allowing for the application of insulation layers and substrate fills to simulate pressurized and seepage water conditions, and enabling the simulation of different environmental scenarios, including varying water pressures and temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If insulation materials are tested by taking samples from actual buildings after a defined service period, then real environmental conditions are reflected, but the conditions are not guaranteed or documented and comparisons between different building products are not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copied version of real installation conditions through a test setup that replicates the environmental stresses (groundwater pressure, splash water, soil contact) in a controlled laboratory setting. This allows multiple building products to be tested under identical documented conditions without needing to excavate actual buildings, enabling reliable comparisons while maintaining ecological responsibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The test setup segments the building component testing from the actual building structure, allowing insulation materials to be tested in isolation within a controlled shaft element. This segmentation enables standardized testing conditions for different building products while accurately representing their real-world environmental exposure.
2Measurement precision
If plates are removed from actual buildings by partially excavating the basement, then samples can be obtained, but samples can be significantly damaged during removal and creating a series of measurements is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of removing plates from actual buildings, the patent creates a copied test environment where identical installation conditions are replicated. The insulation samples remain intact within the shaft element throughout the testing period, allowing repeated measurements to be taken without damage or the need for excavation and sample removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The test setup performs preliminary action by pre-installing the insulation materials in the shaft element under controlled conditions before the testing period begins. This preliminary installation ensures that samples are properly positioned and protected from the start, eliminating the need for difficult removal operations later while enabling continuous monitoring.
3Manufacturing precision
If a standard test setup is created for simulating real installation conditions, then reproducible and controlled testing is enabled, but the device complexity increases compared to simple field sampling
Solution Approach 1:
The test setup is segmented into modular components (shaft element with wall parts, base plate, closing plate, insulation layer, substrate fill) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This modular segmentation enables precise control of each component while keeping the overall device manageable and reproducible.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft element design with standardized components serves multiple functions: it contains the insulation sample, applies controlled groundwater pressure, simulates soil contact conditions, and allows for various measurement operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate test devices while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a device (1) for simulating real installation conditions of building components in contact with the ground and/or exposed to splashing water and/or pressurized water and accumulating seepage water, comprising: - a shaft element (11) with at least four wall sections (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) made of a waterproof building material, and - a base plate (13) that seals the shaft element (11) at its first end (11e) in a watertight manner, wherein at least one of the four wall sections (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) is designed to simulate a flat building wall. The present invention further relates to a test setup (100) for simulating real installation conditions of building components in contact with the ground and/or exposed to splashing water and/or pressurized water and accumulating seepage water, comprising the device (1) according to the invention, and a corresponding method.