Reconstructing rock temperature profiles from field measurements using finite element modelling and inverse analysis

Dujc, Jaka (author)

Rock temperature evolution plays a key role in the development of freeze-thaw cycles that contribute to progressive rock damage and rockfall formation. Understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of temperature inside rock masses is therefore essential for studying thermally induced degradation processes in natural rock slopes. However, in situ measurements typically provide temperature data only at a few discrete depths, which makes it difficult to determine the complete temperature field within the rock. This study presents a computational framework that combines field measurements, finite element simulations and optimisation techniques to reconstruct the temperature distribution inside rock formations. Heat transfer in the rock mass is modelled using a one-dimensional transient heat conduction model based on the finite element method. The reconstruction of the temperature field is formulated as a sequential optimisation problem. In the first step, the thermal diffusivity of the rock is determined by minimising the discrepancy between measured and simulated temperatures. In the second step, the unknown temperature boundary condition at the rock surface is identified using an optimisation procedure. The optimised parameters are then used in a final simulation to compute the continuous temperature profile throughout the rock depth. The methodology is applied to a monitored rock face in eastern Slovenia and produces a stable and physically consistent temperature field. The reconstructed temperature field reveals the propagation of temperature variations into the rock mass and allows the identification of depths and time periods where the temperature drops below freezing.

• Language: English
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.08 - Published Scientific Conference Contribution
• Organization: FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 9 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 422, art. 03011
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-188479
• UDC: 519.62
• ISSN on article: 2261-236X
• DOI: 10.1051/matecconf/202642203011
• COBISS.SI-ID: 292126723
• Publication date in RUL: 23.09.2026

Record is a part of a proceedings

• Title: EngOpt 2026
• COBISS.SI-ID: 292124163

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: MATEC web of conferences
• Shortened title: MATEC web conf.
• Publisher: EDP Sciences-Web of conferences
• ISSN: 2261-236X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 524597785

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: metoda končnih elementov, inverzna analiza, rekonstrukcija temperaturnega profila, spremljanje temperature kamnine, cikli zmrzovanja, cikli tajanja

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J1-3024
• Name: Dešifriranje občutljivosti skalnih sten na podnebne spremembe in cikle zmrzovanja in odtaljevanja na območjih brez permafrosta

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0210
• Name: E-Gradbeništvo