Abstract:
Analyses of the thermo-mechanical responses of energy pile foundation
Chanjuan Han1, S.M.ASCE and Xiong (Bill) Yu2*, Ph.D., P.E., F.M.ASCE
1 Research Assistant, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, email: cxh432@case.edu
2* Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, email: xxy21@case.edu
Abstract
Energy foundation is promising to allow harvesting geothermal energy while fulfilling its role in supporting structural loads. These are the resultants of the coupled thermo-mechanical processes driven by the cyclic thermal boundary conditions. This presentation describes the study of the coupled thermo-mechanical behaviors of energy pile. A computational model was developed to t holistically simulates the thermomechanical behavior of energy pile foundation that considers the heat exchanger pipe flow. The behaviors of energy pile are analyzed. The model predicts the non-uniform deformation at the soil-pile interface as well as the thermal conditions inside the pile foundation. Besides, thermomechanical behaviors of energy foundations with three types of geothermal heat exchanger pipe patterns (U shape, W shape, and Spiral shape) are discussed. The calibrated model will provide a useful tool to improve the existing design methods for energy pile foundations.