A combined experimental and 3D numerical investigation of the thermal performance of hollow date palm concrete walls

This study investigates the thermal performance and heat transfer mechanisms of a wall constructed with Hollow Date Palm fiber Concrete Blocks (HDPCB) through combined experimental and numerical analyses. Steady state and dynamic laboratory measurements were conducted to determine the wall's thermal transmittance, thermal resistance, time lag, decrement factor, and periodic thermal transmittance. A 3D model was developed to simulate heat transfer through the solid components of the wall and natural convection within the cavities, while the contribution of radiative heat transfer was evaluated separately. Sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the factor with the greatest influence on predicted heat transfer. Experimental results indicate that HDPCB walls provide effective thermal insulation, with a U value of 1.23 W m−2 K−1 and an R value of 0.81 m2 K W−1. Numerical predictions agreed with measurements within 3%, confirming that natural convection is the dominant heat transfer mode within the cavities of the blocks under the tested conditions. These results demonstrate the potential of HDPCB as a sustainable and energy-efficient building envelope solution.