FOUNDATION OF TIMBER STRUCTURES – CRAWL SPACE HEAT AND MOISTURE ANALYSIS WITH AIR AGE SIMULATION AND OCCURRENCE OF MICROMYCETES
Keywords:
timber structure; crawl space; micromycetes; age of the air; openFOAMAbstract
This study is focused on the analysis of the crawl space microclimate in timber structures in the Czech Republic. It focused on the conditions in which the timber and fiberboard elements of the crawl space ceiling structure are located. As part of the analysis, air temperature, relative humidity, air flow within the crawl space were monitored. The average relative humidity within the crawl space reached up to 85% in summer and up to 90% in winter. The residence time of air in the crawl space was determined using air age simulation. A long residence time of air in the crawl space may pose a risk of capturing mold spores on the crawl space wall and ceiling surfaces. OpenFOAM software was used for the simulations. The analysis revealed the presence of fungal spores of the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Cladosporium.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Slávka Pobucká, Pavel Kučírek, Karel Šuhajda, Jan Holešovský
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