A systematic approach for conducting and interpreting hydraulic conductivity tests on granular soils under non-isothermal conditions

Abstract

Although non-isothermal tests are important for many applications in geotechnical engineering, there is no standard for conducting such tests and interpreting the resulting data. This paper describes the development of a temperature-controlled triaxial apparatus, focussing on its thermal performance, and discusses relevant protocols to perform and interpret hydraulic conductivity tests on granular materials at different temperatures. With the aid of thermal cameras, hot spots on the surface of the equipment and instruments were identified. Subsequent modifications to minimise and mitigate heat reaching volume gauges and pore water pressure transducers were introduced. After modifications to reduce the system’s intrinsic head losses, the thermal expansion of the system proved to be significant and needed to be accounted for avoiding overestimation of thermally-induced mechanical strains. The addition of a new probe at the centre of the specimen allowed the characterisation of the temperature field within the system and specimen, as well as assisting with the identification of thermal equilibrium. Significant drops in temperature were flagged by this probe, though these proved to be unimportant in terms of hydraulic conductivity. The use of the average temperature for each pressure step is advised when a specimen probe is available. Alternatively, the use of target temperatures can be chosen, leading to minor underestimations of the intrinsic permeability.