Thermal characteristics and optimization of phase change energy storage subgrade in permafrost regions

Abstract

In permafrost regions, the thawing of permafrost will cause serious damage to the road structure, and delaying the degradation of permafrost is the key to ensure the road performance. Based on the energy storage characteristics of phase change material (PCM) and the anti-seepage performance of geotextile, a phase change geotextile (PCG) with heat absorption and waterproof functions is prepared in this study. PCG is applied to the subgrade structure, and the phase change energy storage subgrade (PCESS) is proposed. This subgrade structure can effectively reduce the temperature and increases the artificial permafrost table in permafrost regions. In order to study the temperature regulation mechanism of PCESS, the effects of thermal properties of PCM and epoxy resin mixture (PCMERM) and structural parameters of PCG were analyzed by numerical models. The mean absolute errors (MAEs) were 0.88 and 1.08 with experiments conducted to validate numerical model. The analysis of influencing factors showed that the phase change temperature of PCMERM exhibits the best value to improve the regulation effect of PCESS under given conditions. Increasing the heat of fusion and dosage of PCMERM can enhance the regulation effect. When PCG was laid on the top of the subgrade, the regulation effect was the best. Compared with the traditional permafrost subgrade, PCESS showed long-term thermal stability. In addition, the prediction model for the artificial permafrost table change was established. The model predicted the artificial table in three cases, and the MAEs were 0.048, 0.019 and 0.039, respectively. These results suggest that the model can accurately predict the changes of the artificial permafrost table.