3D Thermo-mechanical analysis of a real-world thermally activated piled foundation

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Publication Title
3D Thermo-mechanical analysis of a real-world thermally activated piled foundation

Abstract
The work presents the results of a Three-Dimensional (3D) thermo-mechanical analysis, carried out through the COMSOL Multiphysics finite-element code, to investigate the effects of the heating/cooling cycles on the response of a real case of bored and cast-in-place piled foundation, where all the piles have been equipped with pipes to operate as heat exchangers with the ground. Referring to the available data on the building design and to the results of thermal property tests performed on soil samples, a 3D model of the soil-foundation system has been reconstructed. To obtain realistic operational conditions, a uniform mechanical pressure acting on the slab top surface has been imposed, while a transient heat conduction simulation has been conducted by adopting a simplified temperature harmonic function, representing the average air temperature in the Italian area, both on piles and at the ground surface. By dividing the foundation piles into subgroups, two configurations of pile thermal activation have been analyzed to optimize the system performance. The comparison between layouts reveals very similar trends, with pile’s stresses and displacements predominantly influenced by the mechanical load. Energetically, the heat flux per unit of pile surface remains almost unchanged in the two considered cases, despite one layout experiencing alternate years of inactivation, with the soil temperature restores to the initial conditions.
Authors
A. Lupattelli; D. Salciarini

Published In

18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)

Theme

E - Environment, water and energy

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