Interactions of an Energy Pile with Several Traditional Piles in a Row

Abstract

A full-scale test was carried out to investigate the interactions between an energy pile and four traditional piles connected to the same overlying reinforced beam. A series of sensors was installed in the energy pile, surrounding soil, traditional piles, and beam to monitor their thermal and mechanical responses. The interactions between the energy pile and the traditional piles and concrete beam were analyzed. The results show that, when the average temperature of the energy pile increased by 20°C, a notable axial stress of −4.4 MPa was induced at the top of the energy pile because of the interaction between the energy pile and the beam. Moreover, an additional axial load was observed in the four traditional piles because of their interactions with the energy pile, even though they were not subjected to thermal loading. Significant tensile axial loads of 820 and 663 kN were induced at the top of the two traditional piles adjacent to the energy pile, which were approximately five times larger than those induced at the top of the other two more distant traditional piles.