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Air permeability test of a Brett Martin Marlon Clickfix 1040 polycarbonate cladding system Prepared for: Mr. W. Hawker Technical Director 29 July 2011

Test report number 273314

Air permeability test of a Brett Martin Marlon Clickfix 1040 polycarbonate cladding system

Test report number 273314 Commercial in confidence

© Building Research Establishment Ltd 2011 of 19

Tested on behalf of BRE by: Name Malcolm Pound

Position Senior Consultant and Laboratory Manager, Actions, Building Technology

Date 29 July 2011

Signature Prepared on behalf of BRE by: Name Malcolm Pound

Position Senior Consultant and Laboratory Manager, Actions, Building Technology

Date 29 July 2011

Signature Approved on behalf of BRE Name Dr. Paul Blackmore

Position Associate Director, Actions, Building Technology

Date 29 July 2011

Signature

BRE Garston WD25 9XX T + 44 (0) 1923 664000 F + 44 (0) 1923 664010 E [email protected] www.bre.co.uk This report may only be distributed in its entirety and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. Test results relate only to the items tested. BRE has no responsibility for the design, materials, workmanship or performance of the product or items tested. This report does not constitute an approval, certification or endorsement of the product tested. This report is made on behalf of BRE. By receiving the report and action on it, the client – or any third party relying on it – accepts that no individual is personally liable in contract, tort or breach of statutory duty (including negligence).

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.bre.co.uk




Contents

1 Introduction 4

2 Details of tests carried out 5

3 Air leakage criteria 6

4 Test specimen 7

5 Test rig and preparatory procedures 8

6 Summary of test results 9

7 Conclusions 10

8 References 11

ANNEX A. Air permeability test results 12




1 Introduction

At the request of Mr. W. Hawker, Technical Director of Brett Martin Daylight Systems Ltd, Sandford Close, Aldermans Green Industrial Estate, Coventry, CV2 2QU, BRE issued proposal number 129833 on 28 July 2011. The proposal was accepted on 28 July and BRE tested a specimen of Brett Martin Marlon Clickfix 1040 cladding system on 29 July 2011.

The tests to methods based on that in BS EN 12114: 2000¹ measure the air permeability of the specimen under positive and negative test air pressure differentials. Comparison of the results to the client’s performance criteria was made.

The tests on the specimen were carried out by Mr. M. Pound under the BRE Standard Terms and Conditions of Business for testing as BRE Job number 273314 in project number CV4793.




2 Details of tests carried out

The test method was based on that used for building components and building elements. The method follows the same principle as tests for air permeability of curtain walling (BS EN 12153) and for windows and doors (BS EN 1026). The principle for BS EN 12114 is shown below:

Air permeability to BS EN 12114: 2000; A set of pressure difference steps (positive and/or negative) is applied across the specimen and the air flow rate through the specimen is measured at each step. The maximum positive and negative pressure differential was 100 Pa (Pascals) reached in pressure steps of 2, 15, 30, 50, 65, 80, 95 and 100 Pa. A reading of air flow in m³/h is recorded after each test air pressure differential increment has stabilised. The fully corrected readings, allowing for ambient conditions during the tests, are shown in the annex to this report, expressed as m³/h per m² of one major face of the specimen and m³/h per metre of joint (in this case the vertical fixed joint length between the panels and between the aluminium profiles and the panels).




3 Air leakage criteria

The client has provided air leakage criteria of: 10 m³/h.m² at +50 Pa and at -50 Pa.

This concurs with current recommendations in The Building Regulations.

Note: This report has results for air permeability under positive and negative test pressures and a graph showing the average air leakage rates at each pressure step.




4 Test specimen

The general details about the test specimen supplied by Brett Martin Daylight Systems Ltd for these tests are given below:

Type: Aluminium edge profiles around six polycarbonate panels. Reference: Brett Martin Marlon Clickfix 1040 polycarbonate cladding system.

Profiles: Aluminium edge profiles. The outdoor leg is 68 mm wide and the indoor one 78 mm wide. The depth of the profile is 56 mm. The profiles have housings to accommodate gaskets. The mitre cut corners are not bonded.

Panels: The translucent polycarbonate cladding panels are 40 mm deep overall with indoor and outdoor skins and four intermediate walls. All of the panels are approximately 1814 mm high. Five of the panels are about 509 mm wide. The sixth panel is about 280 mm wide. There is approximately 25 mm of panels under the seals in the edge profiles.

Seals: The aluminium profiles house EPDM profiled gaskets both indoors and outdoors. The gaskets are continuous along their lengths and mitre cut with sealant applied at the corners.

Fixings: For these tests the specimen was fixed and sealed into a 95 mm x 45 mm section softwood timber subframe. Fixing screws (hidden) pass through the aluminium edge profiles into the subframe.

Orientation: For these tests the specimen was mounted vertically into the test rig with the joints between panels vertical. The outdoor face of the specimen with the 68 mm leg was placed on the test rig so that it faced into the test chamber.

Dimensions: Overall (including the edge profiles) = 2900 mm wide x 1895 mm high Area: 5.50 m²

Overall area of panels/cladding = 2744 mm wide x 1742 mm high = 4.78 m²

Length of fixed vertical joint between panels = 8.70 m (measured at the indoor face)

Length of the fixed joints between panels and profiles = 8.97 m

Total fixed joint length at indoor face = 17.67 m

Drawings and photographs in the Annex of this report show cross sections and details of the specimen.




5 Test rig and preparatory procedures

The test specimen was conditioned for at least 4 hours within temperature and humidity ranges specified in relevant test standards of 15°C to 30°C and 25% to 75% RH respectively.

The specimen was mounted in the BRE test rig ‘G’, to form one wall of a pressure chamber with the outdoor face enclosed in the chamber.




6 Summary of test results

The test results are summarised in Table 1 below. Figures showing detail of the specimen and detailed results are given in Annex A.

Air permeability

Criteria Results

+50 Pa 10 m³/h.m² -50 Pa 10 m³/h.m²

At +50 Pa 0.18 m³/h.m² Met the criteria At -50 Pa 0.21 m³/h.m² Met the criteria At +50 Pa 0.06 m³/h.m of vertical joint At -50 Pa 0.06 m³/h.m of vertical joint

Table 1. Summary of air permeability test results




7 Conclusions

When the specimen of Brett Martin Marlon Clickfix 1040 polycarbonate cladding system was tested to the standards described herein to a maximum test pressure of + and – 100 Pa it was found to be:

• Sufficiently air tight to meet the air permeability criteria provided by the client of 10 m³/h.m² at + and – 50 Pa.




8 References

1. BS EN 12114: 2000. Thermal performance of buildings – Air permeability of building components and building elements – Laboratory test method. British Standards Institution, London.




ANNEX A. Air permeability test results

Pressure differential

Pa

Air flow through the specimen

m³/h

Air flow per unit area of the specimen

m³/h.m²

Air flow per unit length of vertical joint

m³/h.m 2

15 30 50 65 80 95

100

0.20 0.63 0.65 0.98 1.03 1.05 1.08 1.14

0.04 0.11 0.12 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.20 0.21

0.01 0.04 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06

Table A1. Air permeability under positive air pressure; test results


Pa

Air flow through the specimen

m³/h

Air flow per unit area of the specimen

m³/h.m²

Air flow per unit length of vertical joint

m³/h.m 2

15 30 50 65 80 95

100

0.26 0.71 0.74 1.14 1.11 1.17 1.22 1.25

0.05 0.13 0.14 0.21 0.20 0.21 0.22 0.23

0.01 0.04 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.07 0.07

Table A2. Air permeability under negative air pressure; test results


Pa

Average air flow per unit area of the specimen

m³/h.m²

Average air flow per unit length of vertical joint

m³/h.m 2

15 30 50 65 80 95

100

0.045 0.12 0.13

0.195 0.195 0.20 0.21 0.22

0.01 0.04 0.04 0.06 0.06

0.065 0.065 0.065

Table A3. Averages of air permeability under positive and negative air pressures; test results




0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Air

pe

rme

ab

ilit

y: m

3 /h

.m2

of

spe

cim

en

an

d p

er

m o

f fi

xed

join

t

Air pressure differential Pa

m3/h.m2

m3/h.m

Neg' m3/h.m2

Neg' m3/h.m

Av +/-m2

Av +/-m

Positive 50 Pa

Neg 50 Pa

Figure A1. Test results: Air permeability under positive and negative air pressure; showing limits and averages of air permeability measured under positive and negative test pressures




Figure A2. Test specimen (specimen was slightly smaller than shown here)




Figure A3. The test specimen mounted in the BRE test rig




Figure A4. The test specimen mounted in the BRE test rig




Figure A5. Mitre corner joint and EPDM gaskets on aluminium edge profiles

Sealant in indoor face of a joint


==============REPORT ENDS============= Test report number 273314 Commercial in confidence


Figure A6. A typical vertical joint between panels

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