Geothermal Energy Piles
Dr. Kerop Janoyan
The use of geothermal energy techniques integrated in structural pile foundations has the capability of being an efficient and cost effective solution in sustainable civil engineering projects. Generally known as structural energy piles, these systems utilize plastic piping to circulate a heat transferring medium from the ground to the structure. Since the temperature within the ground remains relatively constant, the circulating medium maintains a constant temperature throughout the year within the structure. Effectively, geothermal piles will reduce the need for traditional sources of heating and cooling and will bring the idea of carbon-neutral buildings closer to reality. In order to implement this system, further studies of instrumented geothermal energy piles are needed to provide insight into how temperature variations affect the overall geotechnical and structural performance of the system. The REU student will have the opportunity to work with a team of undergraduate and graduate students and obtain practical research experience by designing and conducting analytical and experimental studies of geothermal energy piles.
