Energy Piles : Background and

Geotechnical Engineering Concepts

C. Guney Olgun
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Virginia Tech

16th Annual George F. Sowers Symposium

Atlanta, GA / May 7, 2013
 Outline

Background and concept

Geothermal heat-exchange systems,
energy piles
Performance and geotechnical challenges
Design of energy piles
Summary and conclusions
Energy Piles

~65 F 80 F
It is All about Energy!

Courtesy J. Wheeler /
Virginia Tech

Courtesy J. Wheeler / Virginia Tech

 Globally Increasing Need for Renewable Energy

Driving factors rising global energy demand and need to

reduce carbon emissions (i.e., recent UK codes require
zero-carbon buildings by 2019, U.S. executive order)
Buildings generate 43% of US carbon emissions
Considerable electricity consumption due to
heating/cooling
Electricity generation is largest source of air pollution in US
Commercial and residential buildings consume 71% of US
electricity
 U.S. Energy Flow Chart

Significant energy consumption for residential and commercial heating / cooling

U.S. Geothermal Resources & Projects
 Ground Temperature Profile
Fall Spring
0

10 Winter Summer

20

30

Depth (ft)
40

50

60

70
Atlanta, GA Tmean = 63F
80
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85
Mean ground temperature Ground Temperature (F)
 Ground Temperature Profile
Fall Spring
0
J F M A M Jn Jl A S O N D
90
10 Winter Summer

Ground Surface 20
80
Ground Temperature (F)

5 ft
30

Depth (ft)
70
40
10 ft

60 50
50 ft

60
50

70

40 Atlanta, GA Tmean = 63F

80
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85
Day of the Year
Ground Temperature (F)

Ground temperature fluctuations

 Geothermal Heat-Exchange Systems

Fall Spring
0

10 Winter Summer

20

30
Depth (ft)

40

50

60

70
Atlanta, GA Tmean = 63F
80
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Ground Temperature (F)

Utilize the relatively constant temperature of the ground and use it for
heating in the winter and cooling in the summer
 Ground Source Heating/Cooling

Geothermal heat exchange systems provide ground-source energy for

heating and cooling
The use of ground-source systems for heating and cooling has
increased exponentially especially in Europe
Basic idea been around for long time make use of the heat energy
stored in the ground; access this energy using heat exchangers buried
in the ground (fluid-filled HDPE loops)
In ideal conditions these systems can provide majority of required
heating/cooling energy and significantly reduce costs and carbon
footprint
Geothermal Resources
WA
MT
ND MN ME
OR
ID
VT
SD WI NY
MI
CA
NV
NE IA
WY PA
IL IN
UT CO OH
MO WV
KS VA
AZ
NM
OK NC
TX AR TN
SC
MS AL GA

LA

FL

Temperatures
Temperature above
above 100 212F
C (212 F)
o o

o o
Temperature
Temperaturesbelow 100 C (212
below 212FF)
Area suitable for "Geothermal Foundation
Suitable for geothermal heat exchange
(entire U.S.)
(entire U.S.)
 Outline

Background and concept

Geothermal heat-exchange systems,
energy piles
Performance and geotechnical challenges
Design of energy piles
Summary and conclusions
 Geothermal Heat Exchange Systems

Geothermal Boreholes Horizontal Loops Energy Piles

 Geothermal Borehole Wells

200 ft - 500 ft deep

Small residential to
large commercial

Major cost is drilling and materials

Horizontal Loops

6-10 ft
 Horizontal Loops

Recently built house in Blacksburg VA

with a trench loop system
Horizontal Loops

Horizontal loop systems

within/beneath slabs
 Energy Piles Dual Purpose Elements

DeepFoundation GeothermalLoops EnergyPile

+ =

Foundationsupport Heating/cooling Foundationsupport&

(micropile,drilledshaft,CFA) (PEX,HDPE) heating/cooling
Energy Piles Dual Purpose Elements

Fall Spring
~65 F 80 F 0

10 Winter Summer

20

30

Depth (ft)
40

50

60

70
Atlanta, GA Tmean = 63F
80
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Ground Temperature (F)

Energy Piles
Energy Piles Driven Precast Concrete
 Performance of Heat Exchange Systems

Vertical Horizontal Energy Pile

Poor ground quality 8 W/ft 1 W/ft 8 W/ft

Average ground quality 15 W/ft 2.5 W/ft 15 W/ft

Excellent ground quality 25 W/ft 4 W/ft 25 W/ft

1W ~ 3.4Btu/hr
 Energy Pile Installations

Cumulative no. of energy piles 25000

Austria (Brandl 2006)
20000 England (Amis 2009)

15000

10000

5000

0
1980 1990 2000 2010
Year

Swiss, Austrians, English and Japanese leading the effort since 1990s
Frankfurt Main Tower

223 Energy piles were installed

Power : 500kW
Courtesy R. Katzenbach TUD
Keble College, Oxford UK

First Energy Wall Project in the UK

Completion: 2002
Type of Absorber: Pile wall, 61 drilled shafts
Heating Capacity: 45 kW
Cooling Capacity: 45 kW
Courtesy Tony Amis, Geothermal International
 Other Thermo-active Systems

Energy tunnel/anchor systems (Brandl 2006)

 Other Thermo-active Systems

Energy tunnel/anchor systems (Brandl 2006)

Other Thermo-active Systems

Knightsbridge Palace Hotel Loop Installation into Energy Wall

(Courtesy Tony Amis, Geothermal International)
Pavement and Bridge Deck Deicing
Geothermal Bridge Deck Deicing

Plan View of the

Bridge Deck

Loops Embedded
in the Approach
Embankment
Small-scale Bridge Deck Slab
(8 ft x 10 ft)
Energy Piles

Bridge Deck Deicing Using Energy Piles

Geothermal Bridge Deck Deicing

Bridge Deck Deicing Using Energy Piles

 Ground-source Grain Drying

Fan connected to a geothermal borehole system or energy foundation

and forces air through grains which eliminates grain moisture
 Advantages of Thermo-active Foundations

Environmentally-friendly, with relatively little power

demand
Help reduce fossil fuel demand, decreasing CO2 emissions
Low maintenance and long lifetime
Installation in foundation permits heat exchange system
to be within building footprint, making more efficient use
of material and space
Offer more opportunities for radiant heating/cooling with
better humidity control
Less vulnerable to variation in energy source than
hydropower (droughts), wind, and solar
Less sensitive to energy price fluctuations
 Outline

Background and concept

Geothermal heat-exchange systems,
energy piles
Performance and geotechnical challenges
Design of energy piles
Summary and conclusions
 Effect of Ground Cooling
Structural Load Cooling Load + Cooling

Axial Load Axial Load

Skin friction

+ =

Soil
Resistance

Ground cooling reduces stresses along pile cross-section,

can cause tensile stresses
 Effect of Ground Heating
Structural Load Heating Load + Heating

Axial Load Axial Load

Skin friction

+ =

Soil
Resistance

Heating can cause increased stresses along pile cross-section

 Pile-Soil Interaction Ground Heating
Floating Pile End-Bearing Pile
Axial Load Axial Load

Soil Soil
Resistance Resistance

End restraints (top and bottom of the pile) effect the load transfer
mechanism during heating and cooling
 Effect of End Bearing on Thermal Stresses
(kips) (psi)
0 100 200 300 400 0 10 20 30 40 50
0 0 0 0

10
5
5 20
20
Structural
10
30
10 40

Depth (m)

Depth (ft)
Depth (m)

Depth (ft)
40 15
Thermal
+ Structural Structural
15 50 60
20
60
20 Thermal 80
25
70 + Structural

80 30
25
0 500 1000 1500 2000 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Axial Pile Load (kN) Normal Stress at Pile Cross Section (kPa)

K. Soga / T. Amis Lambeth College L. Laloui - EPFL

 Virginia Tech Energy Pile Field Test
PEX
PEX
Single Loop
Double Loop
8 ft (2.4 m)

Observation
Point

Reaction Pile Test Pile Reaction Pile

HDPE HDPE
Single Loop Single Loop

8 ft (2.4 m) 8 ft (2.4 m)

Four Energy Piles 10-inch diameter, 100 ft long instrumented

Several observation boreholes - thermistors
 Soil Profile and Ground Temperatures
Ground Temperature (C)
0 5 10 15 20 25
0 0
Fall ing
S pr
10
Winter Summer
5
Silty Sand (SP-SM) 20

30
10

42 ft 12.8 m 40

Depth (m)
Depth (ft)
50 15

Weathered Shale 60
20
70

80 25
90
Blacksburg, VA Tmean = 56F
100 30
30 40 50 60 70 80
Ground Temperature (F)
Circulation Loops

HDPE Geothermal Loop and U-Bend

Circulation Loops

REHAU PEXa Geothermal Loop and U-Bend

Energy Pile Installation

Drilling
Energy Pile Installation
Energy Pile Installation
Thermal Conductivity Testing

35

30

Heat Injection Rate (Watt)

Fluid Temperature (C)
id
t Flu
25 Inle

20 id
t let Flu
Ou 2500
15
Avg. Applied Power ~ 2004 W
2000
10
Avg. Calorimeric Power ~ 1854 W
5 1500
0.1 1 10
Time (hours)
Virginia Tech Energy Pile Test Site
 Load Test Results Prior to Thermal
Load (ton)
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
0 0.0
1
Pile Head Displacement (mm)

Pile Head Displacement (in)

2
0.1
3
4
5 0.2
6
7
End of loading 0.3
8
9
10 0.4
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Load (kN)

Pile Loaded to 150 tons (1330 kN) and this load maintained during
the later stages of testing
Pile Load prior to Thermal Loading

Pile Load (kN)

0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000
0 0

10
5
20

30
10 SP-SM
40
Depth (m)

Depth (ft)
15 Shale 50

60
20 No Thermal Load
70

25 80

90
30 100

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

Pile Load (ton)
Thermo-Mechanical Load Test

Thermo-mechanical Load Test Set-up

 Heating and Cooling Episodes
60 140
Ground loop inlet o 130
50 C
50 Ground loop outlet 120
Fluid Temperature (oC)

Fluid Temperature (oF)

110
40
35oC 35oC 100

g
90

tin
28oC 28oC
ea
30 H
80
le
Pi

20oC 70
20
16oC o
13 C 60
10 13oC 13oC 50
o
10 C Cooling below
o
6 C in-situ temperature 40
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Time (days)

Temperature cycles applied in stages with a temperature controller

Pile Load during Thermal Loading

Pile Load (kN)

0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000
0 0

10
5
20

30
10 SP-SM
40
Depth (m)

Depth (ft)
15 Shale 50

60
20 No Thermal Load
20oC (68oF) 70

25 80

90
30 100

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

Pile Load (ton)
Pile Load during Thermal Loading

Pile Load (kN)

0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000
0 0

10
5
20

30
10 SP-SM
40
Depth (m)

Depth (ft)
15 Shale 50

60
20 No Thermal Load
20oC (68oF) 70

35oC (95oF) 80
25
90
30 100

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

Pile Load (ton)
Pile Load during Thermal Loading

Pile Load (kN)

0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000
0 0

10
5
20

30
10 SP-SM
40
Depth (m)

Depth (ft)
15 Shale 50

60
20 No Thermal Load
20oC (68oF) 70

35oC (95oF) 80
25
50oC (122oF)
90
30 100

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

Pile Load (ton)
Pile Load during Thermal Loading

Pile Load (kN)

0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000
0 0

10
5
20

30
10 SP-SM
40
Depth (m)

Depth (ft)
15 Shale 50

60
20 No Thermal Load
20oC (68oF) 70

35oC (95oF) 80
25
50oC (122oF)
90
6oC (43oF)
30 100

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

Pile Load (ton)
Long Term Performance of Energy Piles

31
Ground Temperature (C)

Ground Temperature (F)

30 86
29 84
28 82
27
80
26
78
25
Houston TX 76
24
74
23
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Years of Heat Pump Operation
 Barriers to Wider Use

Lack of refined design standards current methods to

estimate field conductivity developed for geothermal
boreholes; we need geotechnical engineers to provide
leadership not mechanical engineers
Lack of awareness, regulatory issues, typical way HVAC
subcontracts written into projects; difficult to optimize
Energy Pile design if not involved early on in project
planning
Research questions about thermo-mechanical soil-structure
interaction effects, especially long-term behavior
 Energy Pile Performance

Performance depends on many site-specific factors, such as soil

type (thermal conductivity is key!), ground water depth, initial
ground temperature
Best conditions are saturated sands and clays, especially with
ground water flow
Thermal yield from an energy pile under favorable ground
conditions ~25W/ft
Say heating/cooling load for this facility is about 150 kW or less
Assuming good soil conditions, and using 60-ft long piles, 18-in
diameter
We would need about 100 energy piles to supply heating and
cooling needs for the Union
 Outline

Background and concept

Geothermal heat-exchange systems,
energy piles
Performance and geotechnical challenges
Design of energy piles
Summary and conclusions
 Design of Energy Piles

Ground Source Heat Pump

Association Thermal Pile Standard
Check thermally induced pile
stresses
Pile performance under repeated
cyclic loading (annual heating and
cooling)
Estimate pile settlement due to
temperature cycles

http://www.gshp.org.uk/GSHPA_Thermal_Pile_Standard.html
 Temperature Induced Pile Stresses

Pile Axial Load

Depth below Ground Surface

Cooling Structural Load + Cooling Heating

Structural Load Only
Structural Load + Heating

Check pile stresses due to thermal loading

 Temperature Induced Pile Stresses

Pile Length (ft)

(ksf) (kPa)
40 50 60 70 80 90
700
14 T
Addition/Reduction in Pile Axial Stress

12 600 20C (36F)

10 500

8 400

6 300
Heating
4 200
2 100 10C (18F)
0 0
-2 -100 -10C (-18F)
Cooling
-4 -200
-20C (-36F)
-6 -300
10 15 20 25 30
Pile Length (m)

Cooling Heating

Heating and cooling induced pile stresses

from GSHP Thermal Pile Standard
 Pile Performance under Structural and Cyclic
Thermal Loads

1.0 1.0

Failure No Cyclic Failure

Close to Failure First Failure
No Failure Cyclic Failure

1
0.8 0.8
Normalized Cyclic Load Pc/Pu

Normalized Cyclic Load Pc/Pu

10
N = 10
20
0.6 0.6 50
N = 50
100
200
N = 100
Unstable
0.4 0.4 400
N = 600

0.2 0.2
Stable

0.0 0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Normalized Mean Load Po/Pu Normalized Mean Load Po/Pu

Poulos (1989) Jardine and Standing (2000)

Check pile capacity under cyclic loading (heating and cooling)

 Temperature Induced Pile Head Settlement

Maximum settlement
due to thermal effects
Pile Head Settlement

Maximum cyclic settlement

due to thermal effects

Structural Load Only

Structural Load and Pile Cooled
Structural Load and Pile Heated

Loading Cycles
Cooling Heating

Check pile stresses due to thermal loading

 Temperature Induced Pile Head Settlement

Pile Length (ft)

(in) (mm) 40 50 60 70 80 90
8
Maximum settlement 0.3
due to thermal effects 7

due to Thermal Effects

Additional Settlement
6
Pile Head Settlement

0.2 5
T
4
Maximum cyclic settlement 20C (36F)
due to thermal effects 3
0.1
Structural Load Only 2
Structural Load and Pile Cooled 10C (18C)
Structural Load and Pile Heated 1

Loading Cycles 0.0 0

10 15 20 25 30
Pile Length (m)

from GSHP Thermal Pile Standard

 Temperature Induced Pile Head Settlement

Pile Length (ft)

(in) (mm) 40 50 60 70 80 90
8
Maximum settlement 0.3
due to thermal effects 7
T

due to Thermal Effects

Additional Settlement
6
Pile Head Settlement

20C (36F)
0.2 5

4
Maximum cyclic settlement
due to thermal effects 3
0.1 10C (18C)
Structural Load Only 2
Structural Load and Pile Cooled
Structural Load and Pile Heated 1

Loading Cycles 0.0 0

10 15 20 25 30
Pile Length (m)

from GSHP Thermal Pile Standard

 Summary and Conclusions

Thermo-active foundations can significantly reduce

heating/cooling costs and CO2 emissions
Energy pile usage exponential in EU and Japan; not
common in US
New energy applications such as bridge deck deicing being
studied
Thermal loads can increase stresses in piles
Energy pile design guidelines recently developed
Great opportunity for civil engineers, especially
geotechnical engineers, but we must move faster
 Thank You!

C. Guney Olgun
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Virginia Tech
olgun@vt.edu / www.olgun.cee.vt.edu

16th George F. Sowers Symposium

Atlanta, GA / May 7, 2013