One-dimensional nonlinear thermal consolidation analysis of bilayered saturated soil: Interfacial thermal contact resistance

Considering the interaction between the nonlinear consolidation and the heat conduction process, this study investigated the correlation between the interfacial thermal contact resistance and nonlinear consolidation in bilayered saturated soils based on the one-dimensional coupled model of nonlinear consolidation and heat conduction. The phenomenon of heat flux concentration on interfaces caused by incomplete thermal contact is described by general thermal contact model, which can be degraded into prefect, partition, and jump thermal contact models. The numerical solution of the coupled governing equations is obtained using the finite difference method. To verify the correctness of the model, this model is compared with the numerical simulation results and approximate analytical solutions. The nonlinear thermal consolidation characteristics of saturated soil under different thermal contact models are discussed, and the influences of various parameters on the nonlinear thermal consolidation under thermal contact resistance effect are examined. The research indicates that the general thermal contact model could capture the nonlinear thermal consolidation characteristics of saturated soil more appropriately. Neglecting the effect of thermal contact resistance tends to overestimate the influence of permeability coefficient and preconsolidation pressure on the nonlinear consolidation thermal properties of saturated soil. The effect of thermal contact resistance becomes more pronounces as the permeability coefficient decreases or the preconsolidation pressure increases. An increase in the RT results in a noticeable decrease in the consolidation rate of saturated soil but has little impact on settlement. An increase in the ηT leads to a significant reduction in both settlement and degree of consolidation of saturated soil.