Determination of relationships between thermal conductivity and material properties of rocks

Energy transfer between the adjacent parts of rocks in underground mines is widely influenced by the thermal conductivity of rocks. The relationships between the thermal conductivity and some material properties of rocks such as the uniaxial compressive strength, unit mass, tensile strength, cohesion, Young's modulus, point load strength, Schmidt rebound hardness, Shore scleroscope hardness and toughness strength were investigated. The statistical analysis of the data obtained in laboratory tests shows that the thermal conductivity increases with increasing the uniaxial compressive strength, unit mass, tensile strength, cohesion, Young's modulus, point load strength, Schmidt rebound hardness and Shore scleroscope hardness, and decreases with increasing the toughness strength.