Neues Paper: "Bedeutung thermoplastischer Stoffmodelle für die Bemessung von Energiepfählen" in "Bautechnik"

22.04.2026

Thermal loading significantly influences the mechanical behaviour of soils surrounding energy piles and must be considered in design approaches. This paper discusses the role of thermo-plastic constitutive modelling in capturing the coupled thermo–mechanical response of soils, with particular focus on irreversible deformations under temperature changes. Using advanced modelling concepts developed within the AVISA-T framework, the study demonstrates how thermal loading can induce plastic strains and long-term settlements that are not captured by conventional approaches. The results highlight that neglecting thermo-plastic effects may lead to non-conservative predictions of energy pile performance. The study therefore emphasizes the need for advanced constitutive models to ensure reliable and physically consistent design of thermo-active geostructures.

Merita Tafili, Mouadh Rafai, Mohammad Javad Salimi, Mohammadsadegh Ashrafi, Philip J. Vardon, Torsten Wichtmann: Bedeutung thermoplastischer Stoffmodelle für die Bemessung von Energiepfählen. Bautechnik, 2026. DOI: 10.1002/bate.70101Digital