Numerical Investigation on the Thermo-Mechanical Response of Geothermal Energy Pile in East Indian Climatic Condition

Abstract

In this study, geothermal energy has demonstrated significant potential as a sustainable and renewable energy resource for space conditioning. However, developing nations like India have not yet adopted this technology for space heating and cooling, despite experiencing satisfactory seasonal variation in ambient temperatures in many places. Furthermore, the thermo-mechanical behavior of geothermal energy piles in the specific soil and climatic conditions of the area has not been investigated. The present study aims to numerically explore the thermo-mechanical response of a geothermal energy pile in the local soil under the climatic conditions of Jamshedpur, a city in Eastern India. The study analyzed the shear stress at the interface of the pile and adjacent soil, the displacement of the pile head, middle, and toe, and the volumetric strain of the soil. The results of this study was validated and compared with previous studies and found a good agreement with it. The maximum displacement for mechanical loading was observed to be 16 mm in sand and 11.4 mm in layered soil, respectively, for an L/d ratio of 15. Under thermo-mechanical loading, the change in displacement was 0.7 mm in sand and 0.4 mm in layered soil. The maximum shear stress was developed at the toe, reaching 60 kN/m² for L/d = 15. The obtained results reveal an encouraging outcome and help in gaining confidence in constructing geothermal energy piles.