Journal Published Online: 22 January 2021
Volume 44, Issue 2

Apparatus for Coupled Effects of Suction, Temperature, and Stress on Thermal Conductivity of Unsaturated Sand

CODEN: GTJODJ

Abstract

A suction-controlled thermo-mechanical apparatus was developed to measure thermal conductivity of unsaturated sand at different temperatures (5°C to 75°C) and isotropic net normal stresses (35 to 400 kPa). Coupled effects of temperature and stress level on thermal conductivity of unsaturated sand are investigated. Increases in confining stress cause an increase in thermal conductivity of the sand and are hysteretic with loading direction. Thermal conductivity increases appreciably as stress and temperature increase at intermediate degrees of saturation (S ∼ 0.3 to 0.75). Maximum thermal conductivity occurs at 75.5°C and 400 kPa when S = 0.54 where the value of thermal conductivity is about twice that at 5°C and 35 kPa. The results indicate that the apparatus has the capability to effectively measure thermal response of near-surface sand under ranges of naturally occurring changes in temperature, stress, and moisture content.

Author Information

Yao, Jun
DMY Engineering Consultants, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Özocak, Aşkın
Department of Civil Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Sakarya University, Room: 6, Geotechnical Laboratory Building, Esentepe, Sakarya, Turkey
Wang, Tengfei
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of High-Speed Railway Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, P.R. China
Likos, William J.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
Edil, Tuncer B.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
Pages: 15
Price: $25.00
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Details
Stock #: GTJ20200121
ISSN: 0149-6115
DOI: 10.1520/GTJ20200121