Mass Transport and Thermal Conductivity Properties of Flax Shives for Use in Construction Industry

The paper presents the results of studies concerning raw flax shives obtained from Polish crop of flax as a loose-fill thermal insulation material. The study focusses mainly on measurements of the thermal conductivity and water vapor permeability of material, but on water absorption and capillary rise as well. The shives showed satisfactory lambda values, comparable to traditional thermal insulation materials. They also showed high mass absorptivity and the ability to uptake large amounts of water by capillary action in a short time. The paper presents also an example of the use of the tested material as thermal insulation of the flat roof. The analysis of the heat flow through the flat roof with different thicknesses of flax shives insulation was carried out.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that raw flax shives can be used as thermal insulation material, with satisfactory thermal conductivity and water vapor permeability. Additionally, the shives have high water absorption capacity and the ability to quickly uptake water through capillary action.