Methodology for determining water permeability in translucent enclosing structures under realistic conditions

Leaks in translucent structures are highly undesirable, as they can damage interior finishes, cause excessive moisture in the structural layers of exterior walls, and other detrimental effects. Currently, in many countries, regulatory requirements for the watertightness of translucent structures are standardized tests that are not contingent upon specific climatic conditions. This article proposes a calculation method for determining the water permeability of translucent structures, particularly wind pressure and precipitation intensity. Subsequently, water permeability tests were conducted on window-type translucent structures to validate the newly developed method’s efficacy under the climatic conditions of Krasnodar, Russia. Laboratory tests employed a total of nine design load combinations, each lasting 10 minutes. As a result of the study, the trans-lucent structure, previously certified as Class R6 according to GOST 33792-2021, exhibited leakage under a pressure differential of 285-420 Pa and a precipitation intensity of 0.38–0.88 l/m2/min. This observation underscores the significance of considering real-world conditions during laboratory testing for the reliability of building structures. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that this method for determining the water permeability of translucent structures is applicable to any region worldwide, provided that long-term meteorological observations of horizontal precipitation and wind speed are available.