Practical Approaches to Weathering Test Design for the Prediction of Material

This article presents a review of the primary environmental and procedural variables involved in the design of a weathering test. Primary environmental variables include light, heat and moisture; procedural variables include exposure cycle, exposure time and test initiation. Both laboratory accelerated and outdoor weathering procedures are addressed in the paper. Each of the variables is briefly examined and examples of practical solutions given. The most commonly used exposure racks, boxes and cabinets as well as laboratory accelerated testing devices and instrumentation for monitoring and reporting climatological data are described. This paper is intended to be used as a continuation of the working document for the sub-committee on ‘Design of Short Term Test Methods’ of the RlLEM 140-TSUCIB W80 Committee on Service Life Prediction.