Troubleshooting in Design of Construction Details, Walls

Most modern wall systems are constructed in a series of layers that perform one or more specific functions. Some of these layers are critical for the performance and durability of the wall systems and we have assigned functional names to them such as air barrier, vapour barrier/retarder or moisture barrier.

Each of the control layers has is own functional requirements with respect to continuity, location relative to other control layers and attachment to the structure. In other walls, the control layers can be provided by different material layers. In adjacent assemblies the material and the location of the control layers can be quite different. A high percentage of performance failures in wall assemblies can be attributed to insufficient continuity or incorrect connections of these control layers at the junction of different assemblies. This paper presentation will present a systematic approach to identifying potential performance problems at the design review stage.