PRINCIPLES AND METHOD OF DETERMINING THE THERMAL DIFFUSIVITY OF HOMOGENEOUS AND ISOTROPIC MATERIALS

This article introduces the principles and the method of determining the a value of thermal diffusivity in terms of the solutions specific to the analysis of the transient thermal conditions of the heat transfer through infinite flat plates. The mathematical models are presented as well as the measured data processing results, the acceptability criteria, the deviations from the catalogue values, the sensitivity analysis of the analytical solutions, the laboratory equipment used and the applications of the building materials thermal diffusivity with reference to the assessment of the energy and environmental performances of new and existing buildings.