Table 1 Description, advantages and disadvantages of non-destructive methods for assessing the effectiveness of secondary anti-damp insulation
No | Method | Description | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Microwave method | It involves the penetration of microwaves through the material being tested. Microwaves set the water molecules present in the damp material in motion, so that the speed of microwave propagation decreases [69] | - Quick identification of particularly damp areas, - The ability to perform a large number of tests in different sections of masonry, and at the time of one's choosing (there are no time or quantity limits) [70] | - The measurement result can be slightly influenced by the salinity of the tested material, - This method only allows the level of the moisture content to be determined. It is not possible to check other parameters that allow anti-damp insulation to be evaluated |
2 | Dielectric method | It involves the studying of the phenomena of changes in the electrical capacitance of a material and changes in its moisture content. The electrical capacitance depends on the absorption of moisture in the material, which in turn acts as a dielectric in the capacitor [71] | - Ease of use, - The ability to perform a large number of tests in different sections of masonry, and at the time of one’s choosing (there are no time or quantity limits) [70], - The ability to perform measurements within the entire range of the moisture content | - This method only determines the level of moisture in the sample. On this basis, without performing additional measurements and tests, it is not possible to know the answers to questions about the reasons for the lack of effectiveness of the moisture barrier, - The accuracy of electrical methods is lower when compared to other non-destructive methods |
3 | Thermal imaging method | It involves recording the thermal quality for the building’s external partitions. The study is carried out using a portable thermal imaging camera, which converts radiation into a thermal image of the surface of the object in question [72] | - Easy to interpret (the surface temperature of the masonry in a damp area is lower than the surface temperature of the masonry in a dry area), - Enables large areas to be tested [73] | - The moisture assessment of brick masonry takes on a purely qualitative character |