Radio waves help see moisture in walls
BUILDING RESEARCHERS at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have joined forces with Intelligent Automation Inc. in Rockville, to develop a way to use ultra wide-band radio waves to non-destructively detect moisture within the walls of a building.
Based on hardware developed by Intelligent Automation, the technique involves sending a broad range of radio frequencies through typical drywall construction to look for a `moisture' signature in the signal that is reflected back.
Experiments conducted with a simplified wall section made of gypsum board, fibreglass insulation, and oriented strand board (similar to plywood), confirmed that the new method can locate moisture pockets to within 1 cm, according to a news release issued by NIST.
Presence of water within the walls produced a stronger reflection of the radio waves at very specific frequencies.
The elapsed time between transmission of the waves and their arrival at a receiving antenna helps determine the location of the water.
By processing the reflected signals with computer software, the researchers can create detailed three-dimensional maps that highlight wet areas.
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