ICF Wall Testing and Modeling - Laboratory Air Leakage and Water Penetration Testing Report

Oct 28, 2026

Report on laboratory testing and modeling of Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) walls and window interfaces, focusing on airtightness, water penetration resistance, and thermal performance. The study describes development of window interface details following Phase 1 findings, which identified conventional window-to-wall detailing as a weak point. Phase 2 laboratory air leakage and water penetration testing is outlined with test methodology, wall assembly construction, protocol, and results, supported by THERM simulation for thermal performance. Includes background, testing parameters, conclusions, and recommendations for further work.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages84

Reading Time3 h 32 min

AccessFree to download

1. Introduction

1.1. Background

1.2. Testing Parameters

2. Laboratory Air Leakage and Water Penetration Testing (Phase 2)

2.1. Test Methodology

2.2. ICF Wall Assembly Construction

2.3. Test Protocol

2.4. Test Results

3. Thermal Performance of ICF Walls

3.1. THERM Simulation Results

4. Conclusions

5. Recommendations for Further Work

Appendix A – Laboratory Air Leakage and Water Penetration Test Reports

ICF Wall Testing and Modeling l ab t est i ng report Prepared for Prepared by Acknowledgements This study has been made possible by the cooperation and participation of the following: AMVIC Building System, Airlite Plastics Company & Fox Blocks, Logix Insulated Concrete Forms Ltd., Superform Products Ltd., NUDURA Corporation Plasti-Fab/Advantage ICF System, Quad-Lock Concrete Building Solutions, Gorilla Buck, and Dryvit Systems Inc. Disclaimer Reasonable care has been taken to confirm the accuracy of the information contained herein. However, the authors and funding partners assume no liability for any damage, injury, expense or loss that may result from the use of this report; particularly, the extrapolation of the results to specific situations or buildings. Table of Contents 1. Introduction............................................................ 1 1.1. Background .................................................. 1 1.2. Testing Parameters ....................................... 1 2. Laboratory Air Leakage and Water Penetration Testing (Phase 2) .................................................... 3 2.1. Test Methodology ......................................... 3 2.2. ICF Wall Assembly Construction .................... 3 2.3. Test Protocol ................................................. 5 2.4. Test Results .................................................. 6 3. Thermal Performance of ICF Walls ........................... 7 3.1. THERM Simulation Results ............................ 7 4. Conclusions.......................................................... 10 5. Recommendations for Further Work ...................... 11 Appendix A – Laboratory Air Leakage and Water Penetration Test Reports 1. Introduction Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) is a formwork system for reinforced concrete, which stays in place forming a permanent substrate for interior and exterior assemblies. ICF systems consist of modular units which are dry staked in place filled with reinforcing steel and concrete. In Canada, ICF systems typically consist of light-weight expanded polystyrene (EPS) modular units. The use of ICF systems continues to increase in popularity as a result of the focus on more energy efficient buildings. The use of ICF systems has expanded to include above grade wall structures and support systems for cladding applications in new home construction. ICF systems pose some unique challenges with respect to interfacing with other building elements and in particular windows. There is very little physical test data regarding the air and water resistance performance levels that can be anticipated when integrated together with other assemblies to form an enclosure system. In addition, there are several commonly used methods of terminating the ICF forms at window openings, which can result in varying levels of air and watertightness. There is an immediate need in the industry to develop standard construction installation, and interface procedures that will provide known air and water penetration resistance levels that are comparable or better than other conventional building systems. RDH Building Engineering Ltd. (RDH) was retained by the Homeowner Protection Office (HPO), a branch of BC Housing, and the BC Ready-Mixed Concrete Association (BCRMCA) to perform testing and analysis of ICF walls and window interfaces. This report details the tests completed to help provide the necessary information to quantify the airtightness, water penetration resistance, and thermal resistance of sample wall assemblies, which included a fixed window and associated detailing. 1.1. Background In September 2011, RDH completed Phase 1 of the ICF research testing program. In Phase 1, the ICF wall itself was found tobe both water and airtight; however, conventional detailing of the window to wall interface was identified a weak point in the system with respect to air and watertightness. Six different window buck a

FAQs

What problem did the Phase 1 testing identify in ICF window interfaces?

Phase 1 found the ICF wall itself to be water and airtight, but conventional window-to-wall interface detailing was identified as a weak point regarding air and watertightness.

What was the primary goal of the newly developed window interface details for Phase 2?

Phase 2 focused on creating window interface details that are easily constructible while achieving an air- and watertight seal between the window frame and the concrete core of the ICF.

Which testing and modeling methods are included to evaluate ICF wall performance?

The report includes laboratory air leakage and water penetration testing for the wall assembly and associated window detailing, along with THERM simulation results for thermal performance.

Oct 28, 2026

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