Page 12 - Analysis and Design of Energy Geostructures

xii Preface

design of energy geostructures is not available in a unified framework. This book
resolves such a challenge for the first time, by gathering the available theoretical and
experimental competence to develop the analysis and design of energy geostructures.
Structured in 5 parts and 16 chapters, this book provides the broad training that is
required to understand, model and predict the behaviour and performance of energy
geostructures, as well as to carry out the related analysis and design from energy, geo-
technical and structural perspectives. Part A presents an introduction to the scope of
energy geostructures. Part B summarises the theoretical essentials allowing the under-
standing of the phenomena governing the behaviour of energy geostructures. Part C
provides experimental evidence about the referenced behaviour. Part D covers analyti-
cal and numerical approaches to analyse the behaviour of energy geostructures. Part E
provides elements to design energy geostructures and assess the related performance.
At the end of each chapter, theoretical questions and practical application exercises are
proposed.
The book has been designed with civil engineers in mind, but targets energy engi-
neers, environmental engineers, geologists, architects and urban project managers as
well. By covering theoretical and practical aspects as homogeneously and comprehen-
sively as its scope permits, the book targets readers who have no experience with
energy geostructures as well as audiences who have already been involved in the anal-
ysis or design of energy geostructures. Particularly useful for university students at the
graduate level, this book aims to inspire and prepare current and future generations of
scientists and practitioners to positively revolutionise urban environments.
A substantial amount of the content of this book is based on research and develop-
ment activities carried out over the past 20 years at the Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). Various theoretical frameworks and results proposed
by colleagues in the scientific and technical literature are also included in an effort to
make this treatise as comprehensive as possible. While the scientific community is
acknowledged for making available relevant knowledge that helped to broaden the
scope of this book, a particular vote of thanks is devoted to current and past collabora-
tors of the authors for their valuable contributions to this treatise.
The following collaborators are acknowledged for revising some chapters, prepar-
ing a number of figures and tables, developing some exercise solutions and sharing
fruitful discussions during the preparation of this book: Margaux Peltier, Benoît
Cousin, Elena Ravera, Jose Antonio Bosch Llufriu, Jacopo Zannin, Eleonora Crisci,
Niccolò Batini, Louise Copigneaux, Christopher Gautschi, Aldo Madaschi, Chao Li,
Simon Caldi, Laurette Rohrbach, Francesco Di Bari, Etienne Cassini, Alberto
Minardi, Patrick Dubey, Francesco Parisio, Patrycja Baryla, Roba Houhou and Carlo
Gaffoglio. The following colleagues are thankfully acknowledged for sharing photo-
graphs of construction sites of energy geostructures that enriched the content of the
introductory part of the book: Tony Amis, Sebastian Homuth and Stefan Wehinger.