2021-11-09
ACERMI & INSULATION PROFESSIONALS now has a "Performance" section
To be certified, the performance parameters of an insulation product must be tested and verified. From production plant sampling to writing the test report, the product goes through various tests to assess its performance.
The new section uses images to highlight the technical performance of products.
This issue of the letter offers you a closeup of the mechanical creep test.
Tests on floor insulation
Overview
Mechanical tests aim to assess the performance of insulation materials under various mechanical stress conditions: traction, compression and creep over time.
Closeup of the creep test
Background. Deformation over the long term caused by crushing an insulation material installed as an insulating underlayment can have an impact on the characteristics of the structure. The creep test determines the deformation of a product over time by classifying its characteristics with regard to the standards of use.
Testing operation. The insulation material is subjected to a constant load over several months to measure the resulting deformation and extrapolate the results to determine a 10-year value.
Result. ACERMI Technical Specifications 6 on determining the beneath floor screed underlay or floating slab and undertile classification enables industrial companies to meet market expectations for this requirement. The display on the ACERMI certificate attests to the performance value.
Understanding classification
The class (SC1 or SC2) is based on crushing under a load. It indicates the composition of the underlying structure.
A letter (A or B) indicates the permissible loads in the room (500 or 200 kg/sqm) with, as an index, a number from 1 to 4 related to the total reduction in thickness in ten years, used only in the event of the overlap of two insulating underlayers.
Specific characteristics can be added to the classification:
- A: acoustic underlay for impact noise treatment,
- Ch: underlay for floor heating.
