Modeling and numerical simulation of heat and mass transfer in the cave wall of the Mogao Grottoes in China

Abstract

In the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, China, temperature and relative humidity (RH) fluctuations are the main causes of the observed deterioration. In this paper, we experimentally and numerically analyze hygrothermal transfer in the cave wall of the Mogao Grottoes. A coupled heat and moisture transfer 1D model is developed to simulate the hygrothermal behavior of the cave wall of the Mogao Grottoes, which adopts the temperature and water vapor pressure as driving potentials. The model is implemented in a programming. By constructing the numerical model of the wall under boundary conditions and comparing the measured data and simulation results, we validate the numerical model and analyze the hygrothermal transfer characteristics of the wall. The temperature and moisture profiles of the cave wall are experimentally measured and numerically determined. The simulation results are compared to experimental temperature and RH values, with good agreement despite the simplifying hypotheses adopted during modeling. By analyzing the heat and moisture distributions, we find that the heat and moisture transfer process in the cave wall changes in space and time. The complicated heat and moisture transfer directions vary cyclically. Additionally, moisture transfer in the cave wall reaches the steady state more rapidly than heat transfer. Hygrothermal cycling plays an essential role in the development of mural deterioration. The developed model provides theoretical support and a scientific method for the conservation of cave sites and a quantitative analysis approach to study mural relics.