Abstract Summary
Energy geostructures could play a key role towards the Paris agreement goal. However, so far applications have been related to new tunnelling projects, whereas possibilities of implementation on existing tunnels have not yet been explored. This abstract will focus on an example of thermal retrofitting of an existing tunnel, namely the Piedicastello tunnel (Trento, Italy). The retrofitting solution will imply drilling radial borehole heat exchangers (rBHEs) along several tunnel cross sections. To understand the influence of two design parameters, the rBHEs length and the interaxis distance, a 3D coupled FE numerical model was built and results are illustrated.
