Congratulations to Yuchen Chen for the brilliant and successful defense of her doctoral thesis!
Congratulations to Yuchen Chen on the successful defense of her doctoral thesis!
On March 31, 2026, Yuchen successfully defended her PhD thesis in Wood and Bio-based Engineering Materials. Titled « Hygrothermal performance of biobased wall envelopes in cold and humid climates », this research investigates investigates the hygrothermal behavior of timber-framed walls insulated with bio-based materials such as straw, cork, hemp, and wood fiber, when exposed to cold and humid environments.By combining numerical simulations with climate chamber experiments, the study highlights moisture transfer mechanisms, evaluates the durability of assemblies, and analyzes the dynamic response of walls to climatic variations. It also provides practical recommendations for designing sustainable, low-carbon building envelopes specifically suited to the conditions of northern climates.
This achievement crowns research conducted with rigor and dedication under the supervision of Professor Pierre Blanchet (Université Laval) and Professors Xiaodong Wang (Université du Québec à Rimouski) and Louis Gosselin (Université Laval).
We also thank the other members of the jury: Eric R. Labelle (chair), Alain Cloutier (UL examiner), Bertrand Laratte (UL examiner), Matheus Cabral (external examiner, IRDA), and Adrien Gaudelas (external examiner, Cecobois) for their expertise and valuable feedback, which greatly enriched this defense.
Congratulations, Yuchen! This milestone marks an important step in an academic journey already full of inspiring contributions and achievements.
Summary:Â The building sector plays a major role in global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, which has driven increasing interest in sustainable construction materials. Among these, biobased insulation materials have attracted significant attention due to their low environmental impact and potential to improve building performance. However, their long-term hygrothermal performance under severe cold climate conditions remains insufficiently understood, particularly in regions such as Quebec.
This doctoral research investigates the hygrothermal performance of biobased insulated wood-frame wall assemblies exposed to cold and humid climates. The study combines numerical simulations and experimental investigations to evaluate the thermal and moisture behavior of different wall configurations using materials such as straw bales, cork, hemp, and wood fiber.
First, long-term hygrothermal simulations were conducted to assess the performance and durability of various biobased wall assemblies under realistic climate conditions. Then, optimized wall configurations were developed and analyzed. Finally, controlled climate chamber experiments were performed to examine the dynamic response of selected wall assemblies under step and sinusoidal temperature variations.
The results provide new insights into moisture transfer mechanisms, thermal performance, and durability of biobased wall envelopes in severe cold environments. The findings contribute to improving the design and implementation of sustainable building envelopes and support the development of low-carbon construction solutions adapted to northern climates.