Energy piles: behavior and geoenvironmental challenges

Energy piles , also referred to as thermal piles,, which provide a sustainable energy source, represent an interdisciplinary advancement in the fields of geotechnical and environmental engineering, and their application has increased rapidly over the past decades. Due to the growing importance of this topic, numerous studies have been conducted on energy piles, and several review papers have addressed different aspects of their behavior. However, no comprehensive study has yet been reported that brings together recent advances in methods for evaluating the displacement behavior of energy piles in both saturated and unsaturated soils. To date, much of the existing research has focused on the thermal behavior of energy piles, while the mechanical and chemical aspects have often been neglected. This article provides a comprehensive evaluation of the findings of previous studies and highlights areas requiring further investigation. In particular, the effects of several factors, including soil saturation, loading mechanisms, the mechanical and thermal properties of the soil, and pile configuration, on the displacement behavior of energy piles are investigated. Moreover, the long-term performance of energy piles is discussed, and a comprehensive example of an element subjected to thermal and chemical loading is presented, suggesting a novel direction for future research

کلیدواژه ها:

Geothermal energy piles ، Sustainable energy ، unsaturated soil ، thermo-mechanical analysis ، group interaction effects ، chemo-mechanical coupling ، long term performance