Traditionally, attic space in buildings is perceived as a source of nuisance where the moisture condensation occurs in winter encourages mildew growth, and heat build up in the attic space in summer increases the cooling load. However, if the attic is integrated in a holistic design and control strategy, it can function as a solar collector, a heat exchanger, and a desiccant!. This research inv...

Mechanical densification of wood involves compressing the wood in radial direction using heat, water and steam to produce a higher density surface exhibiting better mechanical properties. The densified wood is an environmentally friendly product that presents new opportunities for the wood products industry. Wood surface densification involves both soaking and heating. The objective of this stu...

This research effort studied two similarly built homes in two different geographic locations in an attempt to demonstrate the affect that climatic conditions have on the selection and installation of appropriate vapor diffusion retarders to control moisture transport in woodframed structures. Much misinformation and suppositions exist regarding which vapor diffusion retarder to use, where to pl...

When comparing measurements to numerical simulations of moisture transfer through porous materials a rush of the experimental moisture front is commonly observed in several works shown in the literature, with transient models that consider only the diffusion process. Thus, to overcome the discrepancies between the experimental and the numerical models, this paper proposes to include the moistur...

Measurement of water content in expansive soil using a neutron moisture meter is strongly influenced by the moisture reactive property of this type of soil. It is particularly difficult to calibrate a neutron moisture meter when the dry density changes and the soil cracks during drying. This numerical study models the neutron probe measurement of soil moisture, based on a 7-group diffusion theo...