Evaluation of calculation models for the thermal conductivity of soils

摘要

In the study, a model matrix, based on the combinations of 1 thermal conductivity model for saturated soils (λsat), 4 thermal conductivity models for dried soils (λdry) and 4 Kersten number models for soils (Ke), was proposed to calculate the thermal conductivity of soils. 16 calculation models were included in the matrix. The matrix could be used to investigate the effects of theλdrymodels andKemodels on the calculational results of the 16 calculation models for the thermal conductivity of soils. The matrix was evaluated by 40 Canadian soils, and it is found that the He et al. model forλdryperforms best among the 4λdrymodels, the Côté and Konrad model forKeperforms best among the 4Kemodels. It also shows that the results of the calculation models in the matrix are different significantly, but the JCM (combination of the geometric mean model forλsat, the Johansen model forλdry, and the Côté and Konrad model forKe) performs best among the calculation models for the thermal conductivity of soils. The effects of theλdrymodels andKemodels on the calculational results of calculation models for the thermal conductivity were evaluated by the modified difference index (MDI), showing that theKemodels have much larger effect on the calculational results than theλdrymodels. Besides, the calculation models containing the Côté and Konrad model forKewere recommended to calculate the thermal conductivity of soils for its high accuracy.