Thermal behavior of fine-grained soils. Building science series

Laboratory thermal probe tests performed on an AASHTO standard reference material (a silty clay) showed that thermal resistivity (C. cm/watt) varies with soil moisture content and dry density. The tests were performed to correlate soil thermal behavior with the limit states of fine grained soils. Over 80 thermal resistivity measurements were made on specimens compacted to various densities and moisture contents. Results are presented which indicate that the optimum moisture content of soils and the Atterberg Limits can be correlated with the thermal behavior of fine grained soils.