Effect of Temperature Variations on the Cylindrical Cavity Expansion: Numerical Analysis

This paper presents results from a numerical study performed to examine thermal effects on cylindrical cavity expansion response. In order to highlight thermomechanical behaviour of soils, limit pressure, stresses and strains around the cavity are presented. A finite difference analysis, which accounted for large strains and thermal effects, was carried out using Flac V 7.00 (Itasca Consulting Group). The model assumed the soil as a homogeneous elastic perfectly plastic material with a Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion. The results of the numerical simulation are compared with an analytical one and showed a good agreement. Numerical results suggest a significant influence of the soil temperature on the limit pressure, stresses and displacements. The limit pressure of the soil around the cavity increases with heating by 18% at a temperature variation of 40 degrees C and decreases by 14% when cooling at a temperature variation of - 40 degrees C. Results are applicable in the interpretation of pressuremeter tests, waste disposal problem and geothermal piles which represent an efficient and reliable solution using the geothermal source for heating and cooling buildings.