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Thermal Conductivity Rocks and Soil

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Thermal Conductivity of Soils and Rocks

Typical Apparent Thermal Conductivity Values for Soils, Btu· in/h·ft² ·°F

Soil	Normal Range	Recommended Values for Designa
		Lowb	Highc
Sands	4.2 to 17.4	5.4	15.6
Silts	6 to 17.4	11.4	15.6
Clays	6 to 11.4	7.8	10.8
Loams	6 to 17.4	6.6	15.6

^a Reasonable values for use when no site- or soil-specific data are available.
^b Moderately conservative values for minimum heat loss through soil (e.g., use in soil heat exchanger or earth-contact cooling calculations). Values are from Salomone and Marlowe (1989).
^c Moderately conservative values for maximum heat loss through soil (e.g., use in peak winter heat loss calculations). Values are from Salomone and Marlowe (1989).

Typical Apparent Thermal Conductivity Values for Rocks, Btu· in/h·ft² ·°F

Rock Composition	Normal Range
Pumice, tuff, obsidian	3.6 to 15.6
Basalt	3.6 to 18.0
Shale	6 to 27.6
Granite	12 to 30
Limestone, dolomite, marble	8.4 to 30
Quartzose sandstone	9.6 to 54

References

Kersten, M.S. 1949. Thermal properties of soils. University of Minnesota,
Engineering Experiment Station Bulletin 28 (June).

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