Degradation of Glass Mineral Wool Insulation after 25 Years in Masonry Cavity Walls

An experimental study was carried out on glass wool insulation extracted from the cavity of vertical envelope of buildings constructed in the 1980s to evaluate the insulation conservation state after 25 years. Laboratory tests on insulation samples were carried out to assess any changes of the morphological, chemical, physical and thermal properties of the material. The results show that in glass mineral wool insulation, the glass fibers and the binder were affected by a degradation process thus increasing both water absorption and thermal conductivity.