Numerical analysis of energy piles in a hypoplastic soft clay under cyclic thermal loading

This work is a numerical investigation of the effect thermally induced volumetric collapse normally consolidated clays on performance energy piles. A series coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical Finite Element simulations were carried out using commercial software ABAQUS. These examined single free-head pile embedded in clay layer subjected to constant mechanical load and number heating/cooling cycles, reproduce operating conditions. The soil behaviour was described with two advanced hypoplastic constitutive models for clays, one which incorporates an ad-hoc algorithm developed by authors. Both predict cyclic accumulation settlement excess pore water pressure, especially when thermal considered. While pressure distribution stabilises within few rate head does not show any tendency decrease from cycle another. results are agreement data small scale tests isolated clay, indicating that model this study can be used investigate complex soil/pile/raft interaction processes occurring real piled foundations incorporating