Influence of Groundwater Flow on Energy Pile Groups Under Cyclic Thermal Loading
Influence of Groundwater Flow on Energy Pile Groups Under Cyclic Thermal Loading
Due to the technical complexity and high cost associated with full-scale field tests, centrifuge modelling is widely used as a practical alternative for investigating groundwater flow effects on energy pile behavior. While groundwater flow can help dissipate the thermal anomalies generated during energy pile operation, it can also transport heat downstream, potentially affecting adjacent piles. Centrifuge modelling enables controlled simulation of seepage and enables observation of its effects on energy pile groups under realistic stress conditions, allowing detailed analysis of these interactions. It allows for systematic variation of pile group orientation relative to flow direction, making it possible to assess how groundwater flow alignment influences both thermal and mechanical responses of energy and conventional piles, as well as downstream impacts. In this study, two pile groups were tested in saturated sand at 26.7g, each consisting of one conventional and one energy pile. One group was aligned parallel to the groundwater flow direction, and the other perpendicular. The primary objective was to evaluate the influence of groundwater flow on energy pile performance and its downstream thermal effects. The energy piles, simulating cast-in-situ systems, were subjected to cyclic thermal loading through alternating heating and cooling phases. Preliminary results show that groundwater flow direction significantly affects the thermal behavior of the pile groups, influencing both the temperature rise within the energy piles and the thermal impact on downstream foundations.
Leticia Menezes Santos Sa; Cristina De Hollanda Cavalcanti Tsuha; Jean De Sauvage; Thierry Dubreucq; Matthieu Blanc; Eva Khamis
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Session 5: Energy geo-structures and foundation systems
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-110