This webinar was co-sponsored by ASCE's Geo-Institute and ASCE Continuing Education  

Purpose and Background

There is a rapidly developing trend around the world to explore alternative energy sources. The main driving forces are growing global energy demand, depleting natural resources and the potential effects of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel consumption. Geothermal energy is one of the promising renewable sources that can be utilized to offset such trends. To date, the use of geothermal energy has been limited mainly to certain localized areas where it is used for either district heating and/or electricity generation. However, the constant temperature and heat storage capacity of near-surface soils in any region represent a tremendous potential of stored energy that can be used for heating and cooling of structures. This webinar will summarize the general concepts of using near-surface geothermal energy for heating and cooling of buildings, as well as explain how pile foundations can be utilized as heat exchangers for this purpose. Furthermore, the geotechnical engineering design challenges are discussed in connection with the recent research on this topic.

Primary Discussion Topics

The speaker will discuss:

• Ground-sourced heat pump systems
• Energy piles
• Other thermo-active foundation systems and applications
• Design considerations of energy piles
• Findings from ongoing research and implications for design
• Design recommendations to account for heating/cooling induced pile response

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Determine the background on geothermal heat exchange systems
• Develop an understanding of the design of heat exchange systems
• Identify thermal properties soils and relevant site characterization techniques
  
• Recognize different applications of energy pile systems
• Find out about the latest research on energy piles
• Explain about the soil-structure interaction issues of energy piles
• Develop a framework for the design of pile foundations used as heat exchangers

Webinar Benefits

• Gain background on geothermal heat exchange systems
• Develop an understanding of the design of heat exchange systems
• Learn about thermal properties of soils and relevant site characterization techniques
• Learn about different applications of energy pile systems
• Find out about the latest research on energy piles
• Learn about the soil-structure interaction issues of energy piles
• Develop a framework for the design of pile foundations used as heat exchangers

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-assessment (true-false, multiple choice and fill in the blank questions).

Intended Audience

The specific target audience of this webinar is geotechnical engineers, though the topic is covered broadly enough that other disciplines of civil engineers can also benefit from the course content.

Webinar Outline

Background : Ground Source Heat Pump Systems

• Constant temperature and heat storage capacity of the ground
• Near surface geothermal energy for heating/cooling
• Different heat pump systems (geothermal boreholes, horizontal systems, energy piles etc.)

Energy Piles

• Components and operational principles
• Installation methods
• Example case histories

Other Thermo-Active Foundation Systems and Applications

• Energy walls, bridge deck-deicing applications

Design Considerations of Energy Piles  

• Estimation of heat exchange capacity of energy piles and input parameters
• Soil-structure interaction principles of energy piles and design implications

Findings from Ongoing Research and Implications for Design

• Field load tests in Europe and Virginia Tech
• Design recommendations to account for heating/cooling induced pile response

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