Laboratory Methods for Determining Moisture Absorption of Thermal Insulactions

In a review of laboratory tests of moisture absorption, three methods are carefully examined and compared. Comparisons of laboratory and field data, generally conceded to be the best way to evaluate laboratory test methods, led to the conclusion that moisture gain in perimeter insulation cannot be predicted accurately by any one laboratory test, but that relative assessment is possible from the results of a combination of tests. This paper reviews the state of the art, in particular the work of the ASTM task group on moisture absorp tion.