Impact of Water Content on the Thermal Conductivity of Soils Used in Green Roofs
Impact of Water Content on the Thermal Conductivity of Soils Used in Green Roofs
Green covers are used in many geotechnical applications, being made with soils having roots and other organic materials. The application of such green covers in roofs (green roofs) is becoming increasingly widespread in urban environments because of their environmental and landscape benefits. In addition, green covers can be used as a sustainable solution for thermal insulation of roof structures, however their thermal properties must be characterized for design purposes. Because green roofs are exposed to outdoor climatic actions and irrigation systems are predicted, it is important to have studies to assess the dependence between the thermal conductivity of the soil and its water content or degree of saturation. In this study, an experimental campaign was performed to assess this dependence. To this end, the thermal conductivity and corresponding suction and water content were measured on samples prepared with two types of soil used in such covers: a universal organic-based substrate and a sandy substrate for high-drainage applications. Although the variability of the results, mainly due to the presence of the roots, relationships were defined that can be used for improving the thermal design of green roofs.
Rafaela Cardoso; J. Garcia; Maria Da Gloria Gomes
3rd International Workshop on Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction (RootS2025)
1a. Experimental characterisation of thermo-hydraulic properties of the rooted soils
https://doi.org/10.53243/RootS2025-12
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