Comparative analysis of different methods to evaluate the thermal conductivity of homogenous materials

Thermal conductivity of materials for structural elements and thermal insulation represents a fundamental parameter in the assessment of the energy need of buildings. In this paper, two different systems for thermal conductivity measurement are compared, based respectively on the calibrated hot box and on the guarded hot plate methods. The study is specifically aimed at assessing the range of thermal transmittance where the hot box system is suitable and verifying the strengths and the weaknesses of the system. The comparison between measurements on specimens with different thermal conductivity and thickness showed that the two methods are substantially equivalent in the considered range of thermal conductivity, but are not completely interchangeable. In particular, the measurement campaign confirmed the expectation that the hot box system gives more accurate results with low thermal resistance samples.