Soil thermal properties

Ref.: Mitchell & Soga (2005):

Thermal Conductivity () (W.m
-1
.K
-1
) in SI units
Measurement thermal needle method (ASTM, 2000)
Typical values:
Air - 0,024
Water - 0,60
Soil - 0,25 2,5 (~ 1,7)

Thermal Resistivity (1/) (K.m.W
-1
)
There is a critical water content below which the soil resistivity increases
exponentially:

Heat Capacity or Specific Heat (c) (kJ.kg
-1
.K
-1
)
Typical values:
Water - 4,186
Minerals 0,710
Rocks - 0,80 2,20

Volumetric Heat Capacity (C = .c) (kJ.m
-3
.K
-1
)
Typical values:
Water - 4,186
Soil -
d
(72,4 + 427.w/100) where
d
(kN/m
3
)
Ref.: SSSA Book Series: 5 Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 4 (2002):
Chapter 5 Soil Heat, p.1183-1252.

J.H. Dane & G.C. Topp (Co-editors). Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 4 Physical
Methods. Soil Science Society of America Book Series Number 5, SSSA, Inc.,
Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 2002.

5.2. Heat Capacity and Specific Heat, p.1201-1208. (G.J. KLUITENBERG)

Soil Heat Capacity (C) characterizes the quantity of heat that can be added to or
removed from soil per unit change in temperature.
(the higher the soil heat capacity, the greater will be the soil capacity of storing energy
or, in other words, lower temperature variations will be experienced by the soil for a
given amount of heat)
Definition: ( ) P T f
dT
dQ
C , = =
Related parameters:
Specific Heat heat capacity expressed on a mass unit basis, usually
measured at constant pressure in soils (c) (kJ.kg
-1
.K
-1
)

Volumetric Heat Capacity heat capacity expressed on a unit volume basis
(c) (kJ.m
-3
.K
-1
)

Typical values: (van Wijk & de Vries, 1963)
Soil minerals
s
= 2,65 (Mg/m
3
) c = 0,73 (kJ/kg/K) C = 1,9 (MJ/m
3
/K)
Soil organic matter
s
= 1,3 (Mg/m
3
) c = 1,9 (kJ/kg/K) C = 2,5 (MJ/m
3
/K)
Water
w
= 1,0 (Mg/m
3
) c = 4,18 (kJ/kg/K) C = 4,18 (MJ/m
3
/K)
Air
a
= 0,0012 (Mg/m
3
) c = 1,0 (kJ/kg/K) C = 0,0012 (MJ/m
3
/K)

The Volumetric Heat Capacity (c) can be calculated based on soil composition as
follows:
( ) w c c c C
w o o m m d
. . . . + + = | | where

d
soil dry density (Mg/m
3
)
|
m
, |
o
- dry mass fractions of minerals and organic matter, respectively (-)
w gravimetric water content (-)
c
m
, c
o
, c
w
specific heat of each component in soil (kJ/kg/K)


5.3. Thermal Conductivity, p.1209-1226. (K.L. BRISTOW)

Soil Thermal Conductivity () (W.m
-1
.K
-1
) soils ability to transmit heat

Soil Volumetric Heat Capacity (c) (J/m
3
/K) soils ability to store heat

Soil Thermal Diffusivity (o) (m
2
/s) rate of transmission of temperature change
within the soil.
Definition:
) ( c

o =
Typical values:
Quartz - = 8,8 (W/m/K)
Granite - = 2,0 (W/m/K)
Basalt - = 2,2 (W/m/K)
Clay Minerals - = 2,9 (W/m/K)
Soil OM - = 0,25 (W/m/K)
Water - ( ) ( )
2 5 3
. 10 1 , 1 . 10 34 , 2 552 , 0 T T

+ = (T in C)
Air - T . 00064 , 0 0237 , 0 + = (T in C)


T = 30C; 50C; 70C; 90C
OBS: O efeito da temperatura sobre a condutividade trmica do solo grande para o
solo mido, mas irrelevante para o solo na proximidade da saturao (quando a
condutividade trmica comandada pela gua) e quando seco (quando a resistividade
trmica aumenta exponencialmente).
Approximate relationship between the soil constituents thermal conductivities:
Solids >> Water >> Air