Measured and simulated heat transfer to foundation soils

Thomas, Hywel Rhys ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3951-0409 and Rees, Stephen William ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6745-2691 2009. Measured and simulated heat transfer to foundation soils. Géotechnique 59 (4) , pp. 365-375. 10.1680/geot.2008.59.4.365

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Abstract

The drive towards energy-efficient, low-carbon buildings is a clear priority for many countries. Furthermore, ground heat transfer is understood to play an important role in the overall thermal performance of buildings. This paper presents the results of an in-depth investigation of heat transfer from buildings to the ground. The research involved in situ measurements of heat transfer to the ground from full-scale buildings. The results have been utilised to help develop and validate suitable predictive tools to aid thermal design. Numerical simulations have been undertaken that reveal the transient form of energy losses from typical buildings to the ground over a seasonal time frame. Comparisons are made between numerical results and measured data over an annual cycle. Overall, good correlation of results has been achieved. The thermal properties of foundation soils are known to be dependent on water content. A preliminary assessment of the significance of this aspect of the problem is also considered. In particular, it has been shown that an increase in soil moisture content may cause an increase in heat flux of over 20% for a two-dimensional test case. In summary, innovative low-energy sustainable design is receiving increasing attention. The current work will contribute to this overall objective by ensuring that adequate attention is given to subsurface heat transfer.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Engineering
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	temperature effects; numerical modelling; monitoring
Additional Information:	Pdf uploaded in accordance with publisher's policy at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/0016-8505/ (accessed 24/04/2014).
Publisher:	ICE Publishing
ISSN:	0016-8505
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	08 May 2023 18:26
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/8409

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