Energy piles under lateral loading: Analytical and numerical investigations

Abstract

In this paper, thermomechanical (TM) behavior of laterally loaded energy piles is investigated through analytical and numerical studies. Accordingly, the ultimate lateral load capacity, and the internal moment and horizontal displacement of the pile under service lateral loads, were assessed. Initially, a thermo-elastic-based analytical solution was proposed, and afterwards, a 3D numerical finite element (FE) model was constructed to investigate the effect of different soil parameters, temperature variation and mechanical load conditions on the behavior of energy piles in different soils. Then, the analytical and numerical results were validated against experimental data, and vast analytical/numerical studies were carried out on the TM parameters affecting the behavior of laterally loaded energy piles. Finally, considering the analytical and numerical results, adjusting relationships were introduced to estimate the lateral bearing capacity and the maximum lateral displacement parameters, more precisely. The results showed that in clayey and sandy soils, the ultimate lateral bearing capacity increases by increasing the temperature or by decreasing the external moment. Moreover, heating was found to have an increasing effect on the internal moments and the maximum lateral displacements of the piles embedded in clayey soils, but it had a decreasing effect on the piles embedded in sandy soils.