Semiempirical Correlation between P-Wave Velocity and Thermal Conductivity of Frozen Silty Clay Soil

Abstract

In this study, the thermal conductivity and P-wave velocity of silty clay soil with different water contents are investigated through experiments at different temperatures, and a theoretical correlation between thermal conductivity and wave velocity is established. With temperature decline, the unfrozen water content is reduced and frost heave cracks propagate in soil samples. The variations in thermal conductivity and P-wave velocity are summarized as four phases. The freezing temperature of silty clay soil is between −2°C and −4°C. There is an inversely proportional relationship between thermal conductivity and P-wave velocity for silty clay soil at temperatures below freezing. The experimental results show that the theoretical correlation can well explain the relationship between P-wave velocity and thermal conductivity. These findings provide a possibility for determining the thermal conductivity easily and quickly in geothermal systems and underground engineering projects.