Fully Coupled Analysis of Heat, Moisture, and Air Transfer in Unsaturated Soil
Publication: Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 121, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper presents a new theoretical formulation of coupled heat, moisture, and air transfer in unsaturated soil. A mechanistic approach is adopted that extends a previous potential-based formulation of coupled heat and moisture transfer at constant air pressure. An assessment of the accuracy of the research is presented via comparisons with experimental work for isothermal moisture/air transfer and coupled heat/moisture transfer at constant pressure. Excellent correlation was achieved. Furthermore, verification of the complete new formulation has been achieved by satisfactory comparison of results with those obtained from an independent alternative numerical model. An application of the model to an example test problem is then presented, making use of thermophysical soil parameters that have been independently established for a range of the soil properties specified in the formulation. A number of features of interest related to the interaction between elevated temperatures, induced increased air pressure, and infiltration rates are described. The importance of including the air phase is thus identified, particularly in relation to its effect on the hydration process.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Alonso, E. E., Gens, A., and Hight, D. W. (1987). “Special problem soils—general report (session 5).”Proc., 9th European Conf. on Soil Mech. and Found. Engrg., E. T. Hanrahan, T. L. L. Orr, and T. F. Widdis, eds., Dublin, Ireland, 1087–1146.
2.
Alonso, E. E., Gens, A., and Josa, A.(1990). “A constitutive model for partially saturated soils.”Géotechnique, London, England, 40(3), 405–430.
3.
Alonso, E. E., Batle, F., Gens, A., and Lloret, A. (1988). “Consolidation analysis of partially saturated soils—application to earthdam construction.”Num. Meth. in Geomech., Innsbruck, Austria, 1303–1308.
4.
Barden, L.(1965). “ Consolidation of compacted and unsaturated clays.”Géotechnique, London, England, 15(3), 267–286.
5.
Chapman, N. A., and McKinley, I. G. (1987). The geological disposal of nuclear waste . John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, England.
6.
de Vries, D. A.(1958). “Simultaneous transfer of heat and moisture in porous media.”Trans. Am. Geophys. Union, 39(5), 909–916.
7.
Edlefsen, N. E., and Anderson, A. B. C.(1943). “Thermodynamics of soil moisture.”Hilgardia, 15(2), 31–298.
8.
Ewen, J., and Thomas, H. R. (1987). “The thermal probe—a new method and its use on an unsaturated sand.”Géotechnique, London, England, Vol. 37, 91–105.
9.
Ewen, J., and Thomas, H. R.(1989). “Heating unsaturated medium sand.”Géotechnique, London, England, 39(3), 455–470.
10.
Kaye, G. W. C., and Laby, T. M. (1973). Tables of physical and chemical constants, 14th Ed., Longman, Harlow, United Kingdom.
11.
King, S. D. (1991). “A potential based model of coupled heat and moisture transfer in unsaturated soil,” PhD thesis, University of Wales College of Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales.
12.
Li, C. L. W. (1992). “The use of transputers to simulate heat and mass transfer in soils,” PhD thesis, University of Wales College of Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales.
13.
Mayhew, Y. R., and Rogers, G. F. C. (1976). Thermodynamic and transport properties of fluids, 2nd Ed., Blackwell, Oxford, England,
14.
Milly, P. C.(1982). “Moisture and heat transport in hysteretic, inhomogenous porous media; a matric head-based formulation and a numerical model.”Water Resour. Res., 18(3), 489–498.
15.
Morel-Seytoux, H., and Billica, J.(1985). “A two phase numerical model for prediction of infiltration: case of an impervious bottom.”Water Resour. Res., 21(9), 1389–1396.
16.
Peck, A.(1965). “Moisture profile development and air compression during water uptake by bounded porous bodies. 3: Vertical columns.”Soil Sci., 100(1), 44–51.
17.
Philip, J. R., and de Vries, D. A.(1957). “Moisture movement in porous materials under temperature gradients.”Trans. Am. Geophysical Union, 38(2), 222–232.
18.
Pollock, D. W.(1986). “Simulation of fluid flow and energy process associated with high-level radioactive waste disposal in unsaturated alluvium.”Water Resour. Res., 22(5), 765–775.
19.
Preece. (1975). “The measurement and calculation of physical properties of cable bedding sands. Part 2: specific thermal capacity, thermal conductivity and temperature ratio across `air' filled pores.”G.E.G.B. Lab. Note No. RD/L/N 231/74, Leatherhead, England.
20.
Thomas, H. R.(1987). “Non-linear analysis of heat and moisture transfer in unsaturated soils.”J. Engrg. Mech., 113(8), 1163–1180.
21.
Thomas, H. R., and King, S. D.(1991). “Coupled temperature/capillary potential variations in unsaturated soil.”J. Engrg. Mech., 117(11), 2475–2491.
22.
Thomas, H. R., and King, S. D. (1992). “Coupled heat and mass transfer in unsaturated soil—a potential-based solution.”Int. J. Num. Anal. Meth. Geomech., Vol. 16, 757–773.
23.
Thomas, H. R., and Li, C. L. W.(1991). “A parallel computing solution of coupled flow processes in soil.”J. Computing in Civ. Engrg., ASCE, 5(4), 428–443.
24.
Touma, J., and Vauclin, M. (1986). “Experimental and numerical analysis of two-phase infiltration in a partly saturated soil.”Trans. in Porous Media, Vol. 1, 27–55.
25.
Weast, R. C. (1976). Handbook of chemistry and physics, 57th Ed., CRC Press, Cleveland, Ohio.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Mar 1, 1995
Published in print: Mar 1995
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.