Improved petrographic-coded model and its evaluation to determine a thermal conductivity log

Thermal conductivity is one of the crucial properties for thermal modelling as well as tunnelling or geological modelling. Available data are mainly from laboratory measurements. Therefore, additional ways, such as correlations with other properties to derive the petrophysical parameter, will be an advantage. The research presented here continues and improves the petrographic-coded model concept with an increased set of data, including a variety of lithologies, and, furthermore, the correlations, including the electrical resistivity. Input parameters are no longer taken from the literature, but are derived directly from measurements. In addition, the results are compared with other published approaches. Results show good correlations with measured data. The comparison with the multi-linear regression method shows acceptable outcome, in contrast to a geometric-mean method, where data scatter. In summary, it can be said that the improved model delivers for both correlation (compressional wave velocity and electrical resistivity with thermal conductivity) positive results.