Effect of non-linear soil deformation on the interaction among energy piles

This study investigates the effect of non-linear soil deformation on the displacement interaction among energy piles. The work is based on interaction factor analyses of full-scale pile group tests, whose results are compared with experimental evidence. The results presented highlight the tendency of interaction factor analyses that ignore non-linear soil deformation to overestimate the interaction and the displacement of energy pile groups. This outcome, in accordance with previous studies for conventional pile groups subjected to mechanical loads, may be considered in the analysis and design of energy pile groups subjected to thermal (and mechanical) loads through the interaction factor method.