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Technical Note (National Research Council of Canada. Division of Building Research), 1956-04-01
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Proposal for Northern Operational Research Building at Churchill
Dickens, H. B.
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DIVISION OF BUILDING RESEARCH
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA
'f
EClHI N l<CAL
NOTlE
No.
210
NOT FOR PUBLICATION FOR INTERNAL USE
PREPARED BY H.B. Dickens. CHECKED BY W.H.B •. APPROVED BY
N.B.H.
Discussion. ｾ April
1956.
Revised May 1956.
SUBJECT PROPOSAL FOR NORTHERN OPERATIONAL RESEARCH
BUILDING AT CHURCHILL
PREPARED FOR
In keeping with its policy of ｣ｯｮ｣･ｮｴｲ｡ｾｩｮｧ on those branches of building research that are of special importance to Canada and which can best be studied in this country, the Division of Building Research has, since its inception, considered the
problems of building in the North to be one of its major respon-sibilities. Accordingly the Division made plans for a continuing study of this vital field with projects to be implemented as stafr and facilities permit.
The Division began its northern work in
1950
by setting up a small permafrost section in Ottawa. In the summer of that year a survey was ｭｾ､･ of bUilding foundations on permafrost in the Mackenzie Valley, ｎｾＮｗＮ T., and a report published in June 1951. The following year a laboratory was established at Norman Wells, N.W.T., for carrying out field studies of permafrost. During the period 1950-54 work was continued on the building practice aspects of northern construction through regular Visits to Fort Churchill. As a result of these visits a report was issued in April1954
on the performance of buildings in the Fort Churchill area. During this same period the test-hut method of studying materials and methods of construction under actual climatic conditions was extended to Churchill with emphasis being placed on the" relation of wind to air leakage and its effect on thermal performance of walls.In all of this work close liaison has been maintained with the Department of National Defence and the Defence Research Board establishments in Churchill as well as with other interested agencies including the Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources, the Department of Transport, the Department of Public Works and the Hudson's Bay Company.
Recent emphasis on construction in the North has led to an increasing number of calls to the Division for assistance with
2
the varied problems which arise with northern buildings. To
facilitate handling of these requests it was decided in
1954
to appoint a liaison officer whose duties would include the correlation of the other major branches of the Division's work with the special problems of building in the North of Canada and the co-ordination of the specific studies of northern bUilding practice which from time to time the Division would undertake.
Throughout this period of development several main
problems of northern construction have become apparent. Some
of these problems are simply extensions of those encountered in the more southerly regions of Canada and can be effectively handled through the research program of the Division's
labora-tories in ottawa. Other problems arising from conditions
peculiar to the North can only be adequately investigated by
means of studies in the field. In this category are certain
important aspects of the performance of bUildings above grade and it is for the purpose of investigating these that the Division is anxious to establish at Fort Churchill an
operational research building. Proposed BUilding
The proposed building would be approximately 24 by
36 feet, two storeys in height and of wood-frame construction.
The bottom storey would be kept off the ground to provide an air space between the underside of the floor and the ground
surface through which cold air could circulate during the winter
months. This would simulate the type of construction often
required in permafrost areas to maintain the ground beneath the
building in its frozen state. Wall, floor, roof, and window
details would conform to the type of construction which, on the basis of experience and knowledge, appears to be most suitable
for northern exposures. The bUilding would not be occupied as
it is preferred that the interior not be subdivided by
parti-tions during the early experimental work. The bUilding would
be heated and humidified and would be exposed to the Churchill environment over several winters during which time its over-all performance would be assesed and the folloWing specific
studies would be made. Specific Studies
1. Heating. - A study of the problem of obtaining adequate heat distributIon and of maintaining comfort conditions in northern bUildings when these buildings are constructed so that cold air circulates between the underside of the floor and the ground
surface. This study would be carried out in two phases:
---3
Phase I - the building would be operated as a single-storey
dwelling with only the top storey in use. The bottom
storey would be well ventilated to the outside to produce
the effect of a cold air space below the floor. A space
heater located in the living quarters would provide heat.
Phase 2 - the building would be operated as a two-storey
construction with the living quarters confined again to the top storey but with the bottom storey considered chiefly as a Eervice area with functions similar to a basement in a
conventional dwelling. This would permit heating of the
living quarters by a central heating system with a
gravity-type ｦｵｲｮ｡｣ｾ installed in the lower storey. A two-storey
dwelling of this type has been suggested for housing in remote northern areas by the Working Group on Northern Housing appointed by the Construction Subcommittee of A.C.N.D.
In both these phases emphasis will be on temperature distribution within the bUilding with particular reference to heat distribution at the floor level and on correlation of fuel consumption with weather data.
20 Performance of Chimneys. - Divisional work in connection with
the problem of fires in the North suggests the need for a study of chimney performance under actual northern conditions with special reference to the prefabricated types of chimneys in
single-storey construction. This study w.ould attempt to relate
chimney performance to such factors as height of chimney, location, the effect of blowing snow and downdrafts.
Study of the fire problem has also suggested the need for observations of the performance of heating units under northern conditions particularly the performance of vapourizing
type space heaters. Such work could be carried out in
combina-tion with the chimney project.
3.
Ventilation. - A stUdy of the problem of providing adequateventilation for the living space of northern buildings. This
study would be concerned with the amount of air required and the methods of introducing it into the building, including
both natural and forced systems. Consideration would also be
given to the relation between building ventilation and chimney performance.
4. Attic Ventilation. - A study of the problem of providing adequate attic ventilation as a means of controlling condensa-tion in the roof space without permitting entry of wind-driven
snow. This would involve experimental design and testing of
ventilation louvres.
5.
Windows. - A study of the thermal performance of windows• 4
6. Future Projects. - In addition to these immediate problems it would be possible with a station established at Fort Churchill to begin studies of the utilization of wind energy and of methods of sewage disposal.
Operation of Laboratory
To operate this proposed laboratory the Division would intend to locate at least one technical staff member in Fort Churchill, his duties to· include the following:
1. To operate and maintain all recording instruments used in the proposed research studies and to compile data obtained from these instruments;
2. To record appropriate weather data for the area;
3.
To report regularly on the performance of the bUilding as a whole and of the items under study in particular;4. To maintain close liaison with the Government's other
departments in Fort Churchill, particularly the Department of National Defence, and to provide assistance wherever possible regarding technical problems which may arise;
5.
To make periddic surveys of building performance and current bUilding practice in the Churchill area;6. To keep the Division informed of building 'problems in the Churchill area.
Reasons for Selection of Fort Churchill
Fort Churchill is the preferred location for this work for the following reasons:
1. The environment at Fort Churchill provides combinations of wind, temperature, and snow conditions that are typical of northern areas and which give rise to unique problems of northern construction. In addition Fort Churchill has become the accepted northern research centre involving environmental problems of the North;
2. The large number and variety of buildings in Fort Churchill have already indicated several problems requiring investiga-tion and will continue to provide a useful opportunity for a study of many vital features of northern construction;
3.
Churchill is more conveniently located with respect to Ottawa than alternative areas in the North since it can be reached by rail at all seasons of the year;• 5
4.
The selection or Fort Churchill as the site or the newfleldlaboratory will strengthen the liaison between the Division and the government defence agencies which in the past has been very helpful in developing the Division's work in the North.
DIVISION OF BUILDING RESEARCH
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA
'fE
C
JH[
!if ][
CAlL
NOT FOR PUBLICATION
NOTJE
ｾ
-=--,
FOR INTERNAL USE
PREPARED BY E.V. Gibbons CHECKED BY APPROVED BY R.F.L.
PREPARED FOR C.M.H.C. March 1956
SUBJECT Performance of asphalt shingles in relation
to roof board widths.
The recommended practice of using narrow boards for roof sheathing for the application of asphalt shingles was reviewed at a meeting held on January 21, 1955, at the offices of the
Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. This meeting was
convened at the request of the Canadian Lumbermen's Association and was attended by representatives of the Asphalt Roofing
Manufacturer's Association, Forest Products Laboratories,
Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Canadian Lumbermen's Association, and the Division of Building Research.
The Building Standards of Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the National Building Code of Canada, 1953, do not permit the use of roof sheathing boards wider than 6 inches. The Canadian Lumbermen's Association maintain that these
restrictions on the use of wide boards created a marketing problem in areas of Canada in which boards of 10- and 12-inch
widths were available. Representatives of the Asphalt Roofing
Industry said that improved performances resulted with the use
of their product on narrow boards. Based on field performance
and research conducted by the American branch of their industry, there was an increased tendency for the shingles to buckle on wide boards than narrow boards with comparable changes in the
moisture content of the wood sheathing. It was the consensus
of the meeting that further information should be obtained to relate the performance of asphalt shingles with board width before recommending any changes to the present requirements. The Division of Building Research in co-operation with the Forest'Products Laboratories agreed to assist in this study.
A literature survey was made to obtain information on the following: performance of asphalt shingles in relation to the width of board used; if the degree of shrinkage and swelling of wood is affected by repetition.
Col. J.H. Jenkins, Chief of the Forest Products Labora-tories of Canada, stated in his letter of June 9, 1955, that a thorough literature search had not located anything definite
I
2
dealing with the effect on wood of repeated cycles of shrinkage
and swelling. The search was made under the following headings:
Adsorption and desorption; Hysteresis;
Dimensional changes in wood resulting from changes in moisture content under
(a) unrestrained, and (b) restrained;
"Set!' in wood;
Stabilization of wood.
D.B.R. Technical Note No. 196, prepared by A ｾＮ Hansen,
summarizes the results of the literature search for information on the performance of asphalt shingles in relation to the width of roof boards.
Letters of inquiry were sent to the Directors of the Commonwealth Building Research Stations and of the Division of BUilding Technology, National Bureau of Standards, concerning
practices in their respective countries. The replies from
Australia and South Africa stated that asphalt shingles were
not used to any extent in either country. From Great Britain
Dr. Lea reported that asphalt shingles are not in common use with the possible exception of the Western Islands of Scotland. The recommended practice is that the boards be 6 inches wide.
If plain-edged boards are used, a l-inch ｮｯｭｾＡｌ｡Ｎｬ thickness is
required and if T. and G. ｢ｯ｡ｲ､ｩｮｾ is used, a ｾＭｩｮ｣ｨ nominal
thickness will be accepted.
Additional information of interest from the British
Forest Products Research LaboratorYJ received through Dr. Lea, concerned the seasonal variation in moisture content of roof
timbers. Moisture content studies had indicated this might
vary from 11 to 21 per cent and with this in mind favoured the use of relatively narrow boards.
A number of literature references from the N.B.S. (U.S.) Division of Building Technology were received and were included
with those in Technical Note No. 196. It is emphasized in them
that with boards wider than
6
inches, more of the shingleswould have two rows of nails through the same board so that if shrinkage of the boards is the greater concern, the 6-inch boards
would be definitely superior. The replies also indicated that
no immediate similar studies were planned.
Following a review of the data which had been made available and after discussion with the Forest Products
Laboratories and Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, it was decided that the following related studies would provide
useful information:
-" ' ,
3
(a) (b) (c)Laboratory work to determine the effect of changes of moisture content and other factors on the dimensional stability of asphalt shingles; similar studies will be undertaken to determine the dimensional changes which take place in wood upon drying and the effect of repeated wetting and drying on wood sheathings normally used for roof construction;
Field observations of asphalt shingles on housing projects of the Corporation to note the performance of these
shingles with reference to board width and design of roof; and
The construction of an experimental roof on one of the
N.R.C. houses (No.
98
Research Road), including in itboth seasoned and unseasoned lumber, cut into narrow and wide board widths.
This program of research in now in progress.
