Reliability and adequacy of current watertightness test standards used to evaluate the performance of façades

¹ Wintech Limited, Façade Engineering Consultancy, WV9 5HA Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
² Technical University of Madrid, Department of Construction and Technology in Architecture, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
³ Ghent University, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.

^* Corresponding author: m.arcer@alumnos.upm.es

Abstract

Watertightness test standards are used to evaluate enclosure components in terms of water penetration resistance. Currently, there is a wide variety of watertightness tests in use for façades elements and wall systems. However, recent research has revealed many inconsistencies in the possibility of current test standards to reproduce real exposure conditions. As such, the main test parameters specified in watertightness test standards have been called into question. Nonetheless, these studies do not pay attention to the protocols and the technical specifications incorporated in the test standards. Neither to the influence that these aspects could have on the watertightness results. The present paper provides a general overview of current watertightness tests standards from around the world. Thereafter, a thorough comparison of the technical specifications incorporated in the protocols of the test standards has been carried out. Finally, an evaluation and discussion of some parameters suggested in the tests standards is undertaken based on the state of the art and laboratory experiments over diverse mock-ups.