PROCEDURE TO CALCULATE TIME-LAG AND DECREMENT FACTOR.

The procedure to calculate time-lag and decrement factor of a wall or a roof

composed of different materials is as follows.
Assume that the time-lag and decrement factor of a roof made up of the following
materials is to be calculated :
(a) Weathering course tiles.
(b) Reinforced cement concrete (RCC) slab.
(c) Cement plaster.

1. Find the resistivity r(a) of the weathering course tiles from the data provided.

2. Find the external surface resistance R(o) of the roof.

3. Calculate the average resistance R(a) of the weathering course tiles from the
equation
R(a) = R(o) + { r(a) x [ L(a) / 2 ] }

Where L(a) = thickness of the weathering course tiles in metres.

4. Find the Volumetric specific heat of the weathering course tiles from the data
provided.

5. Take the chart provided to calculate the time-lag and decrement factor.
Read along the horizontal line corresponding to the value of the volumetric
specific heat of the weathering course tiles until it intersects with the diagonal
line corresponding to the thickness of the weathering course tiles.

6. From this intersection project a line vertically downwards until it intersects with
the diagonal that corresponds to the average resistance of the layer of
weathering course tiles.

7. Project a line horizontally to the right from this intersection to the scale of the
time constant.

8. Note down the time constant value of the weathering course tiles.

9. Repeat stages 1 to 8 substituting R.C.C. slab for weathering course tiles.

Calculate the average resistance R(b) of the slab using the equation

R(b) = R(o) + [ r(a) x L(a) ] + { r(b) x [ L(b) / 2 ] }

Where r(b) = resistivity of R.C.C. slab

And L(b) = thickness of R.C.C. slab.
10. Repeat stages 1 to 8 substituting cement plaster for weathering course tiles.
Calculate the average resistance R(c) of the cement plaster using the equation

R(c) = R(o) + [ r(a) x L(a) ] + [ r(b) x L(b) ] + { r(c) x [ L(c) / 2 ] }

Where r(c) = resistivity of cement plaster.

And L(c) = thickness of cement plaster.

11. Sum up the values of the time constants of the three layers.

12. Mark this value on the scale of the time constant.

13. Draw a straight line horizontally from this point until it intersects with the
curves of time-lag and decrement factor on the adjacent nomogram.

14. From the intersection with the decrement curve read vertically to establish the
value of the decrement factor and note it down.

15. From the intersection with the time-lag curve read vertically to establish the
value of the time-lag and note it down.

This is the detailed procedure to establish the values of time-lag and decrement factor
of a wall, roof or any building element .