ASTM D4611-86(2004)

Standard Test Method for Specific Heat of Rock and Soil

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Specific heat is a basic thermodynamic property of all substances. The value of specific heat depends upon chemical composition and temperature. The rate of temperature diffusion through a material, thermal diffusivity, is a function of specific heat; therefore, specific heat is an essential property of rock and soil when these materials are used under conditions of unsteady or transient heat flow.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers the determination of instantaneous and mean specific heat of rock and soil.
1.2 This test method employs the classical method of mixtures. This provides procedures and apparatus simpler than those generally used in scientific calorimetry, an accuracy that is adequate for most rocks and soils, and a degree of precision that is reproducible by laboratory technicians of average skill. While this test method was developed for testing rock and soil, it is easily adaptable to measuring the specific heat of other materials.
1.3 The testing procedure provides an instantaneous specific heat over the temperature 25 to 300oC or a mean specific heat in that temperature range.
1.4 The test procedure is limited to dry samples.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Oct-2004
• ICS: 93.020 - Earthworks. Excavations. Foundation construction. Underground works
• Technical Committee: D18 - Soil and Rock
• Drafting Committee: D18.12 - Rock Mechanics

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM D4611-86(2000) - Standard Test Method for Specific Heat of Rock and Soil
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Replaced By: ASTM D4611-08 - Standard Test Method for Specific Heat of Rock and Soil
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2008
• Referred By: ASTM D7294-13(2021) - Standard Guide for Collecting Treatment Process Design Data at a Contaminated Site—A Site Contaminated with Chemicals of Interest
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004
• Referred By: ASTM D4612-16 - Standard Test Method for Calculating Thermal Diffusivity of Rock and Soil
• Effective Date: 01-Nov-2004

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: D 4611 – 86 (Reapproved 2004)
Standard Test Method for
1
Specific Heat of Rock and Soil
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4611; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3. Terminology
1.1 This test method covers the determination of instanta- 3.1 Definitions:
neous and mean specific heat of rock and soil. 3.1.1 instantaneous specific heat—the rate of change of
1.2 This test method employs the classical method of sample enthalpy, h, per unit mass with respect to temperature,
mixtures. This provides procedures and apparatus simpler than T, at constant pressure, p,
those generally used in scientific calorimetry, an accuracy that
c 5 ~dh/dT!
p p
is adequate for most rocks and soils, and a degree of precision
(1)
that is reproducible by laboratory technicians of average skill.
3.1.2 mean specific heat—the quantity of heat required to
While this test method was developed for testing rock and soil,
change the temperature of a unit mass of a substance one
it is easily adaptable to measuring the specific heat of other
degree, measured as the average quantity over the temperature
materials.
range specified. (It is distinguished from true specific heat by
1.3 Thetestingprocedureprovidesaninstantaneousspecific
being an average rather than a point value. The unit of
heat over the temperature 25 to 300°C or a mean specific heat
measurement is joule per kilogram Kélvin, J/kgK).
in that temperature range.
3.1.3 thermal capacity—the amount of heat necessary to
1.4 The test procedure is limited to dry samples.
change the temperature of the body one degree. For a homo-
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
geneous body, it is the product of mass and specific heat. For
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
a nonhomogeneous body, it is the sum of the products of mass
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
and specific heat of the individual constituents. Thermal
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
capacity has the units of joule per Kelvin, J/K.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
3.1.4 thermal diffusivity—the ratio of thermal conductivity
of a substance to the product of its density and specific heat.
2. Referenced Documents
2
Common unit for this property is m /s.
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.2 Symbols:
C 303 Test Method for Density of Preformed Block-Type
3.2.1 DH—enthalpy change (J/kg).
Thermal Insulation
3.2.2 mc — thermal capacity (J/K).
p
C 351 Test Method for Mean Specific Heat of Thermal
3.2.3 T — final temperature of the mixture obtained by
m
Insulation
extrapolation (K).
D 618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics and Electrical
3.2.4 T — temperature of the calorimeter immediately prior
c
Insulating Materials for Testing
to drop obtained by extrapolation.
D 2766 TestMethodforSpecificHeatofLiquidsandSolids
3.2.5 T — temperature of capsule and sample, capsule or
h
E 230 Temperature-Electromotive Force (EMF) Tables for
standard in the heater prior to drop (K).
Thermocouples
3.2.6 DT—temperature difference.
E 344 Terminology Relating to Thermometry and Hydrom-
3.2.7 c¯ —mean specific heat (J/kgK).
p
etry
3.2.8 c — instantaneous specific heat (J/kgK).
p
4. Summary of Test Method
1
ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD18onSoiland
4.1 The method of mixtures consists essentially of adding a
Rock and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.12 on Rock Mechanics.
known mass of material at a known temperature to a known
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2004. Published December 2004. Originally
approved in 1986. Last previous edition approved in 2000 as D 4611–86(2000).
mass of calorimetric fluid at a known lower temperature and
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
determining the equilibrium temperature that results. The heat
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
absorbed by the fluid and containing vessel can be calculated
Standardsvolume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. from calibrations and this value equated to the expression for
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1

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D 4611 – 86 (2004)
the heat given up by the hot material. From this equation, the
unknown specific heat can be calculated. If only one drop from
a single temperature is performed, then only the mean specific
heat can be calculated. If several drops are per
...