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IS 11818:1986 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for method of test for laboratory determination of air permeability of joints in buildings. This standard specifies the laboratory method for determining the air permeability of joints in buildings when subjected to positive or negative air pressure. It details the apparatus, test specimen preparation, procedure, and calculation method to quantify air leakage. The results are used to evaluate the performance of components like window seals, door frames, and facade panel joints against air infiltration.
Method of test for laboratory determination of air permeability of joints in buildings
Overview
Status
Current
Usage level
Specialized
Domain
Materials Science — Building Construction Practices incl. Painting, Varnishing
EN 12114:2000CEN (European Committee for Standardization), Europe
HighCurrent
Thermal performance of buildings - Air permeability of building components and building elements - Laboratory test method
Specifies a laboratory method for testing air permeability of building components, directly aligning with IS 11818's focus.
ASTM E283-19ASTM International, USA
HighCurrent
Standard Test Method for Determining Rate of Air Leakage Through Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors Under Specified Pressure Differences Across the Specimen
Defines a lab test for air leakage of specific envelope components, covering the same principles applied to joints within those components.
ISO 10272:2017ISO (International Organization for Standardization), International
HighCurrent
Building construction — Test methods for airtightness of building elements and building components
Provides a general international framework for laboratory testing of building component airtightness, fully encompassing the scope of IS 11818.
AS/NZS 4284:2008Standards Australia / Standards New Zealand, Australia/New Zealand
MediumCurrent
Testing of building facades
A broader facade testing standard that includes an air permeability test very similar to the one specified in IS 11818.
Key Differences
≠IS 11818 is specifically for 'joints', whereas international standards like ASTM E283 and EN 12114 are for complete 'components' or 'elements' (e.g., windows, curtain walls), which inherently include joints.
≠The standard test pressure in ASTM E283 is 75 Pa (1.57 psf), while IS 11818 specifies a series of pressures up to 300 Pa without defining a single standard reference pressure for classification.
≠Reporting units differ. IS 11818 requires results in airflow per unit length of joint (m³/h·m). ASTM E283 primarily uses airflow per unit area (L/s·m² or cfm/ft²), though it allows for reporting per crack length.
≠Pre-conditioning in IS 11818 requires three pressure pulses to the greater of maximum test pressure or 350 Pa. EN 12114 uses a similar pulse to the max test pressure, but ASTM E283 has no such requirement for pre-conditioning pulses.
Key Similarities
≈All standards are based on the identical principle of applying a uniform, static air pressure difference across a test specimen in a sealed chamber and measuring the resultant airflow.
≈The fundamental test apparatus is consistent across all standards, requiring a test chamber, a pressure-controlling fan system, pressure measuring devices, and a calibrated airflow meter.
≈The test procedure in all standards involves applying pressure in a series of incremental steps and recording the airflow at each step.
≈Modern standards, including IS 11818, typically mandate testing under both positive (pressurization) and negative (depressurization) pressure differentials to simulate varying wind conditions.
≈All standards require the measurement and correction of airflow rates to standard temperature and pressure conditions to ensure comparability of results.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Test Type
Laboratory test
Laboratory test
ASTM E283 / EN 12114
Primary Result Unit
m³/(h·m) (Flow per joint length)
L/(s·m²) or cfm/ft² (Flow per specimen area)
ASTM E283
Standard Test Pressure
Not defined; a sequence up to 300 Pa is used.
75 Pa (1.57 psf) unless otherwise specified.
ASTM E283
Pre-Test Conditioning
3 pressure pulses to max test pressure or 350 Pa (whichever is greater).
No pressure pulse pre-conditioning required.
ASTM E283-19
Pre-Test Conditioning
3 pressure pulses to max test pressure or 350 Pa (whichever is greater).
3 pressure pulses to the maximum positive test pressure.
EN 12114:2000
Minimum Joint Length
At least 1.0 m
Not explicitly defined; specimen should be representative or full-size.
EN 12114:2000
Standard Temperature for Correction
20 °C
20.6 °C (69.1 °F)
ASTM E283
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values5
Quick Reference Values
Standard length of test specimen1 m
Recommended maximum test pressure600 Pa
Accuracy of pressure measuring device±2% of the reading
Accuracy of airflow measuring device±5% of the reading
Stabilization period at each pressure stepNot less than 10 s
Key Formulas
q_L = Q / L — Air permeability per unit length of joint (m³/h·m), where Q is the rate of air flow (m³/h) and L is the length of the joint (m)
To measure the air leakage rate through a representative sample of a building joint in a controlled laboratory environment.
Does this standard apply to on-site testing?+
No, this is strictly a laboratory test method for a joint specimen, not for an entire building on-site.
What is the primary result from this test?+
An air permeability value expressed in cubic metres per hour per metre of joint length (m³/h·m) at a specific pressure difference.
What pressures are used during the test?+
The test is conducted over a range of pressure differences, typically in steps (e.g., 100, 200, 300 Pa) up to a specified maximum, often 600 Pa (Clause 6.3).