TITLE:
Design of a Device for Measuring the Thermal Diffusivity of Granular Materials Using the Method of Numerical Solution of the Heat Equation
AUTHORS:
Kocouvi Agapi Houanou, Constant Euloge Adjagboni, Kpomagbé Serge Dossou, Antoine Vianou
KEYWORDS:
Pavement Base Course, Thermal Diffusivity, Granular Material, Temperature, Relative Error
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Civil Engineering,
Vol.15 No.3,
September
3,
2025
ABSTRACT: In West Africa, controlling the thermal behavior of pavements is a major challenge. This study presents the design and calibration of an economical device for measuring the thermal diffusivity of granular materials. The method is based on the numerical resolution of the one-dimensional heat equation using temperature data acquired by three sensors. The device enables temperature to be measured as a function of time for a minimum duration of 3600 seconds per test. Calibration, carried out on dry gully sand, yielded an average thermal diffusivity value of 3.35 × 10−7 m2/s, with a relative error of 5.4% compared with the documented reference value of 3.17 × 10−7 m2/s.