Contribution to the Analysis of the Influence of Climatic and Geographic Factors on the Average Mechanical Parameters of Cork Growing in North Africa: The Case of Algeria

Abstract

As part of the Mediterranean basin, Algeria is distinguished by its invaluable wealth in arboriculture, including cork cultivation. Cork is extensively utilized in the construction sector for its effectiveness in acoustic, thermal, and vibrational insulation. Due to its anisotropic cellular texture, cork possesses unique physicochemical properties that are undoubtedly influenced by both climatic and geographic factors. The objective of this study is to identify the optimal climatic and geographic conditions for obtaining high-quality cork with superior insulating properties. The analysis focuses on determining the mass diffusion coefficient of cork from plantations located across northern Algeria (Bejaia, Chlef, Jijel, Medea, and Skikda). These regions are naturally influenced by standard climatic factors, including altitude, humidity, sunlight exposure, rainfall, and temperature. For each sample, the diffusion coefficient was estimated using a conductimetric method, assuming the mass diffusion process follows a transient regime governed by Fick’s second law. The apparent diffusion coefficient (Dapp) by fitting experimental values to the analytical expression derived from Fick’s diffusion model. Data fitting was optimized using the Bat Algorithm. Meteorological data spanning a decade were meticulously analyzed for each region, and average values were used to assess their influence on the diffusion coefficient. Using a multiple regression model, the data were numerically processed to extract the desired results. The variation range of the diffusion coefficient spans 1x10^-12 : 6x10^-12 m²s^-1. Results indicate that the cork grown in Chlef is the most suitable for insulation applications due to its low Dapp around 10⁻¹² m²s⁻¹, under meteorological conditions characterized by 2840<Sunlight <2900 hours and 16.5<T<20°C.