Organizers: Dr. Sébastien Burlon, IFSTTAR, and Dr. Giovanna Biscontin, Cambridge University
Despite the significant number of operating energy geostructures in Europe and across the world, the development of specific design rules and dimensioning approaches both for thermal and mechanical aspects has been slow. Attempts to provide a set of recommendations for piles, diaphragm walls and tunnels subjected to temperature variations have been carried out starting from 2005 but many issues related to the analysis and the design of energy geostructures have still to be addressed by combining theoretical and practical views. Thermo-hydro-mechanical numerical modelling, development of constitutive laws, ground investigations both in-situ and in laboratory, assessment of energy demand, estimation of geothermal resource, interactions between geothermal installations, geothermal maps, assessment of heat transfers combining conduction and advection, geotechnical design, monitoring and execution are some of these issues that need strong discussions and exchanges. Researchers and engineers involved in thermoactive geostructures are encouraged to submit papers.
This Mini Symposium, sponsored by the COST ACTION TU1405 GABI (Geothermal Applications for Buildings and Infrastructure), aims to develop collective understanding and synthesize research and practice-based knowledge from across national and disciplinary boundaries in order to develop better understanding and more widespread use of thermoactive geostructures.
