Enerji kazıklarında termal olarak indüklenen teğetsel (hoop) gerilmeleri: çatlak oluşumuna etkisi ve tasarım üzerindeki sonuçları

Energy piles, also known as thermoactive piles, serve dual purposes: providing structural stability and harvesting shallow geothermal energy. As such, their design must account for both structural and thermal loads. However, current practice typically only considers the axial components of thermal loads. This study aims to investigate thermal loads in three-dimensions, as well as their implications for structural integrity and durability, with a particular focus on tensile hoop stresses in the clear concrete cover. Through numerical modelling, this study examines the positional and temporal variations of hoop stresses and elucidates the underlying mechanisms. The findings demonstrate that significant tensile hoop stresses can develop within the clear concrete cover during the operation of energy piles, and these stresses shift positions with seasonal operation changes, extending the affected region. Therefore, it is crucial to consider hoop stresses in the design of energy piles to ensure structural integrity and durability. A sensitivity analysis was conducted, varying material properties, geometric aspects, operational preferences, and climatic conditions to identify the relationship between influential parameters and hoop stresses. The study concludes with design recommendations based on these findings.