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Volcanic Soils: Inverse Modeling of Thermal Conductivity Data

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Abstract

Volcanic ash soils are formed from ash and cinder deposits that largely consist of non-crystalline minerals, volcanic glass and organic matter. Their application to engineering ground technology requires a thorough knowledge and good understanding of their historical formation, structure, mineralogy and thermal and hydraulic properties. Consequently, inverse modeling was applied to the thermal conductivity (λ) data of 22 soils from Hokkaido (northern Japan). A large majority of these soils contained volcanic ash that markedly influenced their physical properties. For example, 11 natural soils (volcanic, highland and lowland soils) had average λ values of 0.14 W·m−1·K−1 and 0.52 W·m−1·K−1 at dryness (λdry) and saturation (λsat), respectively. The inverse modeling of λ data revealed that the average λ values of soil solids (λs) and volcanic glass (λvgl) were about 0.48 W·m−1·K−1 and 0.25 W·m−1·K−1, respectively. The influence of organic matter on λs was found to have a minor effect. A reverse analysis of saturated frozen soils revealed that, at − 5 °C, about 87 % of water was converted into ice, i.e., unfrozen water content (θun-w) ≈ 0.13.

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Abbreviations

Exp:

Experimental

K e :

Kersten number

m :

Mass fraction

M :

Number of parameter

n :

Porosity

N :

Number of measurement

S r :

Degree of saturation

Sat:

Saturation

T :

Temperature (°C) or (K)

V :

Volume (m3)

w:

Mass content

α :

Fitting parameter

β :

Fitting parameter

θ :

Volumetric fraction of water/air content

Θ :

Volumetric fraction of mineral content

λ :

Thermal conductivity (W·m−1·K−1)

ρ :

Density (kg·m−3)

ave:

Average

cal:

Calculated

dry:

Dryness

ds:

Dry soil

exp:

Experimental

fit:

Fitted

fro:

Frozen

glass:

Glass

i:

Ice

max:

Maximum

o-m:

Organic matter

o-min:

Other primary minerals

qtz:

Quartz

s:

Soil solid

sa:

Sand

sat:

Saturation

sec-min:

Secondary minerals

tot:

Total

un-w:

Unfrozen water

un:

Unfrozen

vgl:

Volcanic glass

w:

Water

RMSE:

Root-mean-square error

LRGH:

Lu–Ren–Gong–Horton

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Acknowledgements

The authors are expressing sincere thanks for Hokkaido University of Education (Hakodate, Japan) and Saint Mary’s University in Halifax (Canada) for supporting this research and also to Mr. Marlon L. McCombie for his comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Engineering, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Canada

    V. R. Tarnawski

  2. Zukosha Co. Ltd., Obihiro, Japan

    F. Tsuchiya

  3. Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy

    P. Coppa & G. Bovesecchi

Authors
  1. V. R. Tarnawski
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  2. F. Tsuchiya
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  3. P. Coppa
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  4. G. Bovesecchi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Bovesecchi.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Physical Characteristics of 22 Soils from Hokkaido

Soil name

Soil code

m clay

m silt

m sand

Θ qtz

n

S r-max

m org

Texture

Obihiro

Tsu-1

0.050

0.400

0.550

0.075

0.582

0.662

0.000

Sandy soil

East Otofuke-1

Tsu-2

0.080

0.200

0.720

0.209

0.593

0.650

0.000

Fine gravel

East Otofuke-2

Tsu-3

0.030

0.100

0.870

0.142

0.566

0.874

0.000

Very fine sand

Kawabata-1

Tsu-4

0.030

0.200

0.770

0.070

0.572

0.962

0.000

Sandy soil

Kawabata-2

Tsu-5

0.020

0.200

0.780

0.042

0.572

0.962

0.000

Sticky clay

Kyouwa-1

Tsu-6

0.030

0.090

0.880

0.054

0.584

0.753

0.000

Very fine sand

Kyouwa-2

Tsu-7

0.350

0.430

0.220

0.080

0.586

0.939

0.000

Volcanic ash sticky soil

Takaoka-1

Tsu-8

0.080

0.450

0.470

0.082

0.592

0.837

0.000

Fine gravel

Takaoka-2

Tsu-9

0.015

0.245

0.740

0.055

0.572

0.673

0.000

Fine gravel

Touya-1

Tsu-10

0.100

0.300

0.600

0.031

0.601

0.915

0.000

Fine gravel

Touya-2

Tsu-11

0.020

0.260

0.720

0.159

0.562

0.784

0.000

Fine gravel

Volcanic-1

Tsu-12

0.160

0.120

0.720

0.094

0.577

0.857

0.019

Coarse dry volcanic ash soil

Volcanic-2

Tsu-13

0.105

0.115

0.780

0.082

0.558

0.986

0.024

Coarse wet volcanic ash soil

Volcanic-3

Tsu-14

0.055

0.645

0.300

0.124

0.555

0.991

0.052

Fine dry volcanic ash soil

Volcanic-4

Tsu-15

0.240

0.430

0.330

0.106

0.569

0.967

0.047

Fine wet volcanic ash soil

Volcanic-5

Tsu-16

0.170

0.400

0.430

0.134

0.583

0.943

0.021

Light colored Kuroboku

Volcanic-6

Tsu-17

0.110

0.460

0.430

0.087

0.570

0.965

0.082

Very wet Kuroboku

Lowland-1

Tsu-18

0.070

0.500

0.430

0.335

0.584

0.753

0.021

Medium size brown lowland

Lowland-2

Tsu-19

0.110

0.690

0.200

0.176

0.579

0.950

0.029

Fine size brown lowland

Highland-1

Tsu-20

0.100

0.400

0.500

0.300

0.581

0.663

0.010

Brown forest soil

Highland-2

Tsu-21

0.080

0.360

0.560

0.315

0.582

0.662

0.008

Brown forest soil

Highland-3

Tsu-22

0.090

0.320

0.590

0.272

0.578

0.666

0.017

Brown forest soil

Appendix 2: Thermal Conductivity Data for 11 Soils from Hwy Construction Site

Soil code

θ w

20 °C

− 5 °C

Soil code

θ w

20 °C

-5 °C

λ exp-wet

λ exp-fro

λ exp-wet

λ exp-fro

Tsu-1

n = 0.58

0.00

0.090

0.089

Tsu-2

n = 0.59

0.00

0.132

0.138

 

0.06

0.096

0.09

 

0.06

0.145

0.152

 

0.06

0.117

0.099

 

0.11

0.135

0.164

 

0.17

0.176

0.183

 

0.17

0.186

0.223

 

0.22

0.213

0.311

 

0.22

0.409

0.455

 

0.28

0.323

0.425

 

0.28

0.425

0.458

 

0.33

0.468

0.546

 

0.33

0.430

0.529

 

0.39

0.504

0.595

 

0.39

0.436

0.595

Tsu-3

n = 0.57

0.00

0.104

0.092

Tsu-4

n = 0.57

0.00

0.087

0.081

 

0.06

0.106

0.106

 

0.06

0.097

0.093

 

0.11

0.137

0.173

 

0.11

0.101

0.091

 

0.17

0.141

0.255

 

0.17

0.107

0.089

 

0.22

0.159

0.262

 

0.22

0.112

0.101

 

0.28

0.209

0.271

 

0.28

0.097

0.153

 

0.33

0.242

0.315

 

0.33

0.111

0.179

 

0.39

0.280

0.325

 

0.39

0.195

0.223

 

0.44

0.321

0.397

 

0.44

0.213

0.229

 

0.50

0.468

0.51

 

0.50

0.298

0.357

     

0.55

0.458

0.536

Tsu-5

n = 0.57

0.00

0.077

0.071

Tsu-6

n = 0.58

0.00

0.090

0.125

 

0.06

0.078

0.081

 

0.06

0.134

0.109

 

0.11

0.077

0.088

 

0.11

0.128

0.137

 

0.17

0.078

0.091

 

0.17

0.160

0.18

 

0.22

0.113

0.125

 

0.22

0.164

0.206

 

0.28

0.152

0.123

 

0.28

0.158

0.275

 

0.33

0.137

0.221

 

0.33

0.174

0.335

 

0.39

0.164

0.271

 

0.39

0.265

0.566

 

0.44

0.312

0.433

 

0.44

0.397

0.595

 

0.50

0.309

0.529

    
 

0.55

0.484

0.654

    

Tsu-7

n = 0.59

0.00

0.087

0.092

Tsu-8

n = 0.59

0.00

0.082

0.104

 

0.06

0.116

0.099

 

0.06

0.104

0.109

 

0.11

0.143

0.104

 

0.11

0.119

0.113

 

0.17

0.149

0.116

 

0.17

0.144

0.159

 

0.22

0.153

0.154

 

0.22

0.162

0.17

 

0.28

0.154

0.198

 

0.28

0.198

0.27

 

0.33

0.198

0.234

 

0.33

0.207

0.268

 

0.39

0.234

0.321

 

0.39

0.327

0.34

 

0.44

0.271

0.496

 

0.44

0.397

0.409

 

0.50

0.337

0.51

 

0.50

0.409

0.447

 

0.55

0.439

0.541

    

Tsu-9

n = 0.57

0.00

0.101

0.113

Tsu-10

n = 0.60

0.00

0.101

0.094

 

0.06

0.105

0.114

 

0.06

0.122

0.119

 

0.11

0.121

0.115

 

0.11

0.134

0.141

 

0.17

0.136

0.149

 

0.17

0.177

0.143

 

0.22

0.163

0.158

 

0.22

0.179

0.172

 

0.28

0.246

0.318

 

0.28

0.193

0.179

 

0.33

0.447

0.463

 

0.33

0.233

0.19

 

0.39

0.521

0.567

 

0.39

0.391

0.42

     

0.44

0.417

0.476

     

0.50

0.496

0.51

     

0.55

0.536

0.566

Tsu-11

n = 0.56

0.00

0.089

0.095

    
 

0.06

0.121

0.132

    
 

0.11

0.149

0.159

    
 

0.17

0.205

0.223

    
 

0.22

0.372

0.409

    
 

0.28

0.447

0.496

    
 

0.33

0.541

0.695

    
 

0.39

0.819

0.834

    
 

0.44

0.936

0.97

    

Appendix 3: Thermal Conductivity Data for 11 Natural Soils from Hokkaido

Soil code

θ w

20 °C

− 5 °C

Soil code

θ w

20 °C

-5 °C

λ exp-wet

λ exp-fro

λ exp-wet

λ exp-fro

Tsu-12

n = 0.58

0

0.137

0.134

Tsu-13

n = 0.56

0

0.125

0.137

 

0.055

0.164

0.158

 

0.055

0.155

0.155

 

0.11

0.197

0.226

 

0.11

0.188

0.179

 

0.165

0.214

0.238

 

0.165

0.223

0.197

 

0.22

0.223

0.322

 

0.22

0.226

0.256

 

0.275

0.268

0.333

 

0.275

0.256

0.298

 

0.33

0.339

0.405

 

0.33

0.292

0.298

 

0.385

0.417

0.482

 

0.385

0.31

0.351

 

0.44

0.53

0.596

 

0.44

0.345

0.375

 

0.495

0.607

0.655

 

0.495

0.369

0.423

     

0.55

0.393

0.482

Tsu-14

n = 0.55

0

0.113

0.119

Tsu-15

n = 0.67

0

0.137

0.167

 

0.055

0.119

0.125

 

0.055

0.152

0.176

 

0.11

0.14

0.179

 

0.11

0.155

0.197

 

0.165

0.161

0.179

 

0.165

0.161

0.191

 

0.22

0.197

0.238

 

0.22

0.194

0.202

 

0.275

0.226

0.262

 

0.275

0.223

0.244

 

0.33

0.283

0.351

 

0.33

0.244

0.286

 

0.385

0.372

0.465

 

0.385

0.232

0.256

 

0.44

0.447

0.512

 

0.44

0.268

0.322

 

0.495

0.506

0.613

 

0.495

0.274

0.345

 

0.55

0.586

0.691

 

0.55

0.316

0.36

Tsu-16

n = 0.58

0

0.137

0.167

Tsu-17

n = 0.57

0

0.113

0.116

 

0.055

0.146

0.176

 

0.055

0.107

0.122

 

0.11

0.155

0.182

 

0.11

0.146

0.176

 

0.165

0.161

0.202

 

0.165

0.137

0.188

 

0.22

0.173

0.205

 

0.22

0.173

0.191

 

0.275

0.182

0.226

 

0.275

0.185

0.229

 

0.33

0.205

0.202

 

0.33

0.191

0.22

 

0.385

0.223

0.286

 

0.385

0.197

0.232

 

0.44

0.256

0.25

 

0.44

0.202

0.295

 

0.495

0.328

0.31

 

0.495

0.244

0.292

 

0.55

0.345

0.363

 

0.55

0.277

0.31

Tsu-18

n = 0.58

0

0.17

0,185

Tsu-19

n = 0.58

0

0.116

0.137

 

0.055

0.179

0.199

 

0.055

0.131

0.155

 

0.11

0.185

0.223

 

0.11

0.161

0.173

 

0.165

0.202

0.256

 

0.165

0.197

0.199

 

0.22

0.328

0.36

 

0.22

0.202

0.214

 

0.275

0.575

0.607

 

0.275

0.232

0.256

 

0.33

0.601

0.715

 

0.33

0.256

0.292

 

0.385

0.637

0.786

 

0.385

0.357

0.447

 

0.44

0.655

0.834

 

0.44

0.462

0.476

     

0.495

0.485

0.542

     

0.55

0.5

0.607

Tsu-20

n = 0.58

0

0.125

0.155

Tsu-21

n = 0.58

0

0.167

0.158

 

0.055

0.158

0.179

 

0.055

0.214

0.211

 

0.11

0.217

0.197

 

0.11

0.226

0.253

 

0.165

0.33

0.333

 

0.165

0.292

0.307

 

0.22

0.453

0.393

 

0.22

0.357

0.387

 

0.275

0.494

0.566

 

0.275

0.488

0.494

 

0.33

0.509

0.557

 

0.33

0.53

0.536

 

0.385

0.53

0.625

 

0.385

0.554

0.59

Tsu-22

n = 0.58

0

0.152

0.191

    
 

0.055

0.185

0.208

    
 

0.11

0.214

0.241

    
 

0.165

0.268

0.294

    
 

0.22

0.375

0.345

    
 

0.275

0.447

0.476

    
 

0.33

0.47

0.53

    
 

0.385

0.536

0.56

    

Appendix 4: Normalized Thermal Conductivity Model and Predictive Results

The normalized λ model shows a superior predictive performance for each of 22 soils. However, there are no general equations for λdry and λsat that would be applicable to all soils under investigation. Therefore, measured λdry and extended λsat (Table 1) were applied to λ modeling. The λ estimates by LRGH model, with individually determined αsat and βsat, closely follow experimental data. The use of overall coefficients (α and β) applied to six volcanic soils or the remaining 16 soils provided satisfactory λ estimations.

In general, volcanic soils (Tsu 12–17) displayed a smooth λ change over the entire range of Sr. Their λsat values are low for both unfrozen and frozen soils, varying from 0.27 W·m−1·K−1 to 0.70 W·m−1·K−1. In theory, the organic content, associated with these soils, should noticeably contribute to very low λ values; however, this impact was found to be a minor one. The low λ values can be due to low λvgl and coating of sand and silt particles with allophane. Figures 1 and 2 display λ versus Sr for unfrozen and frozen conditions.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Volcanic ash soil: experimental λ data versus modeling results

Full size image
Fig. 2
figure 2

Kuroboku soil: experimental λ data versus modeling results

Full size image

The lowland and highland soils (Tsu 18–22) also had low λsat data that varied from 0.55 W·m−1·K−1 to 0.70 W·m−1·K−1 with moderate amounts of organic content. At very low moisture content (0 < Sr < 0.25), λ ≈ λdry, then a steady λ increase was observed. Figure 3 displays a typical λ versus Sr relation for these soils.

Fig. 3
figure 3

Lowland soil: experimental λ data versus modeling results

Full size image

Thermal conductivity data of construction soils (Tsu 1–11) were also modeled. Figures 3 and 4 display experimental λ data versus predictive models.

Fig. 4
figure 4

Sandy soil: experimental λ data versus modeling results

Full size image

Kawabata-1 soil (Tsu-4) is a coarse sand (msa = 0.77) with a negligible quartz content (Θqtz = 0.07). Its experimental λ remained constant within Sr ranging from 0 to 0.5; then, a rapid λ increase, by a factor of 5, was observed. The highest experimental λ value was at Sr = 0.95; therefore, λsat predictions may be close to accurate.

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Tarnawski, V.R., Tsuchiya, F., Coppa, P. et al. Volcanic Soils: Inverse Modeling of Thermal Conductivity Data. Int J Thermophys 40, 14 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-018-2480-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-018-2480-2

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