Frequency-Domain Numerical Modeling of Thermal Performance and Thermal Impedance of Tow Plaster Bio-Composite Insulation for Sustainable Building Envelopes

Abstract

This study presents a computational framework for investigating the thermal insulation performance of a novel tow plaster bio-composite for building envelopes through dynamic numerical modeling. A twodimensional frequency-domain formulation, coupled with an electrical equivalent thermal model, was developed to simulate transient heat transfer, temperature evolution, and heat flux under varying climatic conditions and surface heat transfer coefficients. The proposed numerical methodology enables efficient analysis of frequency-dependent thermal behavior while capturing the interaction between material properties and boundary conditions. The computational framework was applied to evaluate the thermo-physical response of the tow plaster bio-composite and its interaction with an adjacent concrete layer. The simulations demonstrate that the composite exhibits high thermal inertia and low thermal diffusivity, effectively damping external temperature fluctuations and retaining heat within the insulation layer. The numerical results further reveal a synergistic thermal behavior, where the concrete layer acts as a heat reservoir and the tow plaster layers function as a thermal buffer, regulating heat transfer to the interior. Frequency-dependent analyses indicate that higher excitation frequencies permit reduced insulation thickness without compromising thermal performance, highlighting the capability of the developed numerical approach to assess insulation efficiency under dynamic operating conditions. The study also demonstrates the significant influence of surface heat transfer coefficients on the predicted thermal response, confirming the robustness of the computational framework under realistic boundary conditions. These findings not only demonstrate the insulating potential of the tow plaster bio-composite but also establish the proposed numerical methodology as a practical tool for the analysis and design of sustainable energy-efficient building envelopes. Future work will focus on experimental validation and numerical benchmarking to further verify the applicability and accuracy of the proposed computational approach.OPEN ACCESS Received: 04/03/2026 Accepted: 25/05/2026 Published: 21/09/2026

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