This paper provides an assessment on how capillary flow affects the thermal parameters of the two popular materials for the construction of walls – ceramic and silicate bricks. In order to tackle this problem, it was necessary to conduct capillary water rise tests, consisting in recording changes in the mass of the materials in question, having them put in touch with liquid water. The dependence of the mass variation in time, measured for the individual samples, was used for the determination of particular sorption coefficients. During the course of capillary action, the basic thermal parameters, i.e. the thermal conductivity coefficient and the volumetric heat capacity coefficient were measured. A 28-day simulation period was adopted. For both materials, different diversifications of the thermal parameters were identified throughout the partition thickness, with a scale changing along the duration of the capillary flow.

This paper provides an assessment on how capillary flow affects the thermal parameters of the two popular materials for the construction of walls – ceramic and silicate bricks. In order to tackle this problem, it was necessary to conduct capillary water rise tests, consisting in recording changes in the mass of the materials in question, having them put in touch with liquid water. The dependence of the mass variation in time, measured for the individual samples, was used for the determination of particular sorption coefficients. During the course of capillary action, the basic thermal parameters, i.e. the thermal conductivity coefficient and the volumetric heat capacity coefficient were measured. A 28-day simulation period was adopted. For both materials, different diversifications of the thermal parameters were identified throughout the partition thickness, with a scale changing along the duration of the capillary flow.