Investigation of the thermal conductivity of compacted silts and its correlation to the elastic modulus

Thermal conductivity measurement is a quick and easy test for compacted soils. This study presents the results of thermal conductivity testing on silt compacted under standard and modified Proctor efforts. A comparison of moisture content measurements from both lab oven and field oven is also presented and discussed. Measured thermal conductivity was correlated to the bulk density and water content. It is further correlated to Young's modulus and Shear modulus of the compacted silt, which were determined through ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements. Several trends were observed which may be used to correlate soil thermal conductivity of the compacted silt to compaction and elastic moduli for quality control/quality assurance of compacted soil. © 2010 ASCE.