Thermal Consolidation of Soils

This book combines the author’s years of research results to discuss the thermal consolidation mechanism and analytical solution methods of soils, and establishes the corresponding theoretical models. This work contributes to a profound understanding of the physical nature of granular thermodynamics of particulate matters and has important application values in geothermal resource development, thermal energy storage, nuclear waste disposal, and other fields. This book consists of seven chapters in total and discusses the relevant issues of the thermal consolidation of soils from laboratory tests, analytical solutions, and thermal consolidation theory. Chapter 1 discusses the concept, significance and current development status of thermal consolidation. Chapter 2 elaborates the typical experiments and interesting phenomenon of thermal consolidation. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 present the analytical solutions of thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling consolidation problems under various boundary/initial conditions. Chapter 6 elaborates the thermal characteristics of unsaturated soils, which closely related to the corresponding issues of unsaturated soil under temperature load. Chapter 7 reveals the thermal consolidation model from saturated to unsaturated soils based on granular thermodynamic theory. This book is the first international monograph on soil thermal consolidation, which can be used as a reference for researchers and relevant professional teachers in the fields of porous media materials, geomechanics, environmental engineering, and thermodynamic engineering technology, including theoretical research, design, and construction.