Thermal resistivity testing (TR Testing) is carried out on either natural soils or specifically designed quarried products. It determines the material’s thermal characteristics and how well they conduct heat.
When testing natural soils, samples collected from site locations are progressively dried and tested to establish the thermal resistivity versus moisture content relationship. This dry out curve is of particular use if the native soil around a cable partially dries out under cable operating temperatures.
When testing quarry products to determine their thermal suitability as cable backfill or bedding a variety of methods can be adapted depending on the nature of the product and specification requirements.