Sustainable Development of Environmental Geotechnics: Innovations in Geothermal Energy Development Technologies

Submit your abstract here by 15 April 2026

Introduction

Against the backdrop of global carbon neutrality goals and the urgent shift to renewable energy, geothermal energy stands out as a stable, low-carbon energy source with vast prospects for sustainable development. Energy geo-structures—such as energy piles, energy tunnels, and energy diaphragm walls—have emerged as innovative carriers for geothermal utilization, integrating energy extraction with geotechnical engineering functions. As an interdisciplinary field linking geotechnical engineering, environmental science, and energy technology, environmental geotechnics is crucial to optimizing the efficiency, safety, and environmental compatibility of these structures and geothermal development overall. 

However, practical geothermal deployment still faces prominent challenges: inefficient heat transfer in complex geological environments, inadequate adaptation of energy geo-structures to diverse site conditions, and the need for systematic validation through field tests, numerical models, and scaled experiments. These gaps restrict the widespread application of advanced geothermal technologies and energy geo-structures.

This special issue, “Sustainable Development of Environmental Geotechnics: Innovations in Geothermal Energy Development Technologies,” aims to address these challenges by showcasing cutting-edge research and engineering practices. It focuses on the integration of environmental geotechnical principles with geothermal technology, with a specific emphasis on energy geo-structures and multi-methodological research (field tests, numerical modelling, scaled model tests, etc.). The issue seeks to gather insights from scholars, engineers, and practitioners to disseminate novel findings on design optimization, performance evaluation, environmental impact mitigation, and sustainable deployment of geothermal technologies.

Relevant topics include but are not limited to innovative designs of energy geo-structures, heat transfer mechanism research via multi-scale tests/models, thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling analysis of geothermal systems, and low-carbon policy frameworks for geothermal development. We welcome original research articles, case studies, and reviews that advance theoretical foundations, technical applications, or industry standards.

This special issue is expected to serve as a key platform for knowledge exchange and cross-disciplinary collaboration, guiding future research and engineering efforts in geothermal energy and energy geo-structures. By highlighting sustainable and innovative solutions, it will contribute to the global clean energy transition and reinforce environmental geotechnics as a core enabler of sustainable cities and communities.

List of topic areas

• Innovative design, optimization, and performance enhancement of energy geo-structures (e.g., energy piles, energy tunnels, energy diaphragm walls)
• Multi-scale heat transfer mechanisms and thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling analysis of geothermal systems
• Advanced testing (field tests, scaled model tests) and numerical simulation methods for geothermal energy development  
• Modification technology of energy geotechnical materials and synergistic optimization of mechanical-thermal properties
• Long-term service behaviour and stability evaluation methods of energy geotechnical engineering

Submission Information

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