Modeling Thermal Conductivity Dryout Curves from Soil-Water Characteristic Curves
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 5
Abstract
A new approach is proposed for modeling thermal conductivity dryout curves (TCDCs) using measurements of soil-water characteristic curves (SWCCs) for coarse-grained unsaturated soils. The approach is based on observation of similitude between a bimodal formulation of the SWCC in the form and the TCDC in the form . The model may be used in either an empirical curve-fitting capacity to best-fit measured thermal conductivity data or in a predictive capacity to estimate a TCDC from a measured SWCC. Applying the model in a curve-fitting capacity facilitates numerical modeling of heat transfer problems by providing a continuous function for the TCDC. Applying the model in a predictive capacity potentially has broad applications because the SWCC is readily measured or estimated in practice, but the TCDC is not. Performance and characteristics of the model are evaluated by comparison with SWCCs and TCDCs measured for a suite of sands. Predicted thermal conductivity is within 10% of measured values over the complete range of saturation.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant CMMI 0968768. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. Special acknowledgment is due to Hayley Olson and Rani Jaafar for their assistance with the experimental program.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 5 • May 2014
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 20, 2013
Accepted: Dec 2, 2013
Published online: Dec 27, 2013
Published in print: May 1, 2014
Discussion open until: May 27, 2014
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