Experimental analysis and modeling of the thermal conductivities for a novel building material providing environmental transformation

Abstract

In this study, a mathematical equation was developed to determine the thermal conductivity of the materials by producing porous heterogeneous materials with expanded vermiculite aggregates, waste basalt powder, and the mixture of molten tragacanth added building materials. Experimental thermal conductivity of the samples was determined by using the hot wire method. Experimental thermal conductivity of the samples produced varied between 0.196 W/mK and 0.522 W/mK depending on the expanded vermiculite ratio, the ratio of waste basalt powder, and the ratios of tragacanth and cement. In addition, the developed mathematical thermal conductivity ranges from 0.201 W/mK to 0.455 W/mK. The experimental values deviated from the values in the developed model in the range of 3–19%. This equation was developed based on the porosity ratio of the produced samples, the density and thermal conductivity of the materials in the samples. The thermal conductivity results obtained by the experimental and theoretically developed equation were compared with each other and it was observed that the results were compatible.