Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Development and Validation of an Experimental Method for the Thermophysical Characterization of Thermal Conductivity in Porous Building Materials: Application to Stone in the Context of Sustainable Construction

Received: 27 June 2025     Accepted: 21 July 2025     Published: 30 December 2025
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Abstract

The thermophysical characterization of construction materials is a fundamental area of research in building physics and energy efficiency. Over the years, various experimental techniques have been developed to determine key thermal properties such as thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and heat capacity. While these methods have provided valuable results, their accuracy and applicability remain limited in many cases due to uncertainties in the input parameters and assumptions regarding material homogeneity and saturation levels. These limitations often require researchers to implement additional experimental protocols to refine the measurements and adapt them to real-world conditions. This paper proposes a new experimental method that builds on two well-established techniques: the "hot wire" method and the "guarded hot probe" method. The proposed technique is specifically designed for the characterization of unsaturated porous construction materials, which pose particular challenges due to their complex structure and moisture content. It enables the reliable measurement of apparent thermal conductivity under variable saturation conditions and offers greater adaptability in laboratory and field settings. Experimental thermal tests were performed on a typical construction material to validate the method. The results show that the new technique improves the precision of thermophysical parameter estimation and provides a more accurate reflection of material behaviour under realistic conditions. This approach contributes to the on-going development of energy-efficient construction practices by supporting the selection and optimization of materials based on scientifically validated thermal performance criteria.

Published in World Journal of Materials Science and Technology (Volume 2, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12
Page(s) 54-61
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Thermo Physical Characterization, Stone, Hot Wire, Thermal Conductivity

References
[1] Murtagh, M., & Loftus, A. (2015). Durability of historic stone monuments: A review. Construction and Building Materials, 99, 69–78.
[2] Fletcher, B. (1996). A History of Architecture. Architectural Press.
[3] Aldoasri, M. A., Darwish, S. S., Adam, M. A., Elmarzugi, N. A., & Ahmed, S. M. (2017). Enhancing the Durability of Calcareous Stone Monuments of Ancient Egypt Using CaCO₃ Nanoparticles. Sustainability, 9(8), 1392.
[4] Harrouni, E. H. (2014). The medina of Fez: Preservation challenges of stone built heritage. International Journal of Architectural Heritage, 8(2), 123-133.
[5] Parker, R. (1990). Stone Architecture in Moroccan Medina: Material and Craftsmanship. Journal of North African Studies, 2(1), 23-42.
[6] Berriane, M., & Nakhli, S. (2011). En marge des grands chantiers touristiques mondialisés: l’émergence de territoires touristiques « informels » au Maroc. Revue Méditerranée, 116, 115–122.
[7] Berriane, M. (2020). Emergence of New Tourist Destinations in the Mediterranean Hinterlands The Case of the Chefchaouen Region (Morocco). Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft, 12(2),
[8] Santos, C., Mendes, N., & da Silva, M. G. (2013). Thermal and hygric characterization of building stones for energy efficient buildings. Energy and Buildings, 66, 204-210.
[9] Abdelaziz, M. K., Said, M., & Hassan, H. M. (2020). Evaluating thermal and acoustic performance of stone façades in Mediterranean buildings. Sustainable Cities and Society, 54, 101996.
[10] Kumar, R. P. S., Singh, P., & Gupta, R. (2022). Experimental characterization of thermal properties of natural stones for building applications. Construction and Building Materials, 330, 127238.
[11] Shearer, P. W., & Scott, B. M. (2019). Challenges in standardizing thermophysical property measurements of natural building materials. Journal of Building Physics, 43(4), 345-362.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Filali, M., Filali, F., Yassine, H. (2025). Development and Validation of an Experimental Method for the Thermophysical Characterization of Thermal Conductivity in Porous Building Materials: Application to Stone in the Context of Sustainable Construction. World Journal of Materials Science and Technology, 2(4), 54-61. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12

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    ACS Style

    Filali, M.; Filali, F.; Yassine, H. Development and Validation of an Experimental Method for the Thermophysical Characterization of Thermal Conductivity in Porous Building Materials: Application to Stone in the Context of Sustainable Construction. World J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 2025, 2(4), 54-61. doi: 10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12

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    AMA Style

    Filali M, Filali F, Yassine H. Development and Validation of an Experimental Method for the Thermophysical Characterization of Thermal Conductivity in Porous Building Materials: Application to Stone in the Context of Sustainable Construction. World J Mater Sci Technol. 2025;2(4):54-61. doi: 10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12,
      author = {Mohamed Filali and Fatima Filali and Hasna Yassine},
      title = {Development and Validation of an Experimental Method for the Thermophysical Characterization of Thermal Conductivity in Porous Building Materials: Application to Stone in the Context of Sustainable Construction},
      journal = {World Journal of Materials Science and Technology},
      volume = {2},
      number = {4},
      pages = {54-61},
      doi = {10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjmst.20250204.12},
      abstract = {The thermophysical characterization of construction materials is a fundamental area of research in building physics and energy efficiency. Over the years, various experimental techniques have been developed to determine key thermal properties such as thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and heat capacity. While these methods have provided valuable results, their accuracy and applicability remain limited in many cases due to uncertainties in the input parameters and assumptions regarding material homogeneity and saturation levels. These limitations often require researchers to implement additional experimental protocols to refine the measurements and adapt them to real-world conditions. This paper proposes a new experimental method that builds on two well-established techniques: the "hot wire" method and the "guarded hot probe" method. The proposed technique is specifically designed for the characterization of unsaturated porous construction materials, which pose particular challenges due to their complex structure and moisture content. It enables the reliable measurement of apparent thermal conductivity under variable saturation conditions and offers greater adaptability in laboratory and field settings. Experimental thermal tests were performed on a typical construction material to validate the method. The results show that the new technique improves the precision of thermophysical parameter estimation and provides a more accurate reflection of material behaviour under realistic conditions. This approach contributes to the on-going development of energy-efficient construction practices by supporting the selection and optimization of materials based on scientifically validated thermal performance criteria.},
     year = {2025}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Development and Validation of an Experimental Method for the Thermophysical Characterization of Thermal Conductivity in Porous Building Materials: Application to Stone in the Context of Sustainable Construction
    AU  - Mohamed Filali
    AU  - Fatima Filali
    AU  - Hasna Yassine
    Y1  - 2025/12/30
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    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12
    T2  - World Journal of Materials Science and Technology
    JF  - World Journal of Materials Science and Technology
    JO  - World Journal of Materials Science and Technology
    SP  - 54
    EP  - 61
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 3070-1546
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjmst.20250204.12
    AB  - The thermophysical characterization of construction materials is a fundamental area of research in building physics and energy efficiency. Over the years, various experimental techniques have been developed to determine key thermal properties such as thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and heat capacity. While these methods have provided valuable results, their accuracy and applicability remain limited in many cases due to uncertainties in the input parameters and assumptions regarding material homogeneity and saturation levels. These limitations often require researchers to implement additional experimental protocols to refine the measurements and adapt them to real-world conditions. This paper proposes a new experimental method that builds on two well-established techniques: the "hot wire" method and the "guarded hot probe" method. The proposed technique is specifically designed for the characterization of unsaturated porous construction materials, which pose particular challenges due to their complex structure and moisture content. It enables the reliable measurement of apparent thermal conductivity under variable saturation conditions and offers greater adaptability in laboratory and field settings. Experimental thermal tests were performed on a typical construction material to validate the method. The results show that the new technique improves the precision of thermophysical parameter estimation and provides a more accurate reflection of material behaviour under realistic conditions. This approach contributes to the on-going development of energy-efficient construction practices by supporting the selection and optimization of materials based on scientifically validated thermal performance criteria.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Energy and Ambiances Laboratory, National School of Architecture, Rabat, Morocco

  • Energy and Ambiances Laboratory, National School of Architecture, Rabat, Morocco

  • Molecular Chemistry Materials and Catalysis Laboratory, Sultan MoulaySlimane University, Beni-Mellal, Morocco

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