Experimental evaluation of shape factor of axis-symmetric sunken structures

This paper presents the dependence of a shape factor for the fully sunken axis symmetrical structures (viz. cubical, square prismatic, pyramidal, and cylindrical) corresponding to the depth and their orientation. Experimental evaluations of the shape factor on reduce scale models are carried out in laboratory using thermal simulation method for different sets of conditions. The method has been used to determine shape factor, which can be used to determine heat loss from ground to structure or structure to groud fully sunken with the different orientation. Maximum and minimum value of shape factor for set-I and II condition are recoded as 90.18 and 9.93 respectively. In set –III it will varies from 16.49 to 35.28. At D/L=2 shape factor of set-VI leads by 17.26% as compared to set VII. Where as set- IX leads by 33.47% as compaired to set VIII. It would help for designing building structure of fully buried nature for creating thermal comfort.