A 3D numerical analysis of wave-induced seabed response around a monopile structure

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite the numerous ideas concept for an offshore wind turbine foundation, the monopile foundation is the most widely adopted concept in engineering practices. In this paper, a 3-dimensional integrated numerical model is established to study the wave-induced oscillatory seabed responses around a monopile foundation by adopting the Reynolds-Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) equation with turbulence closure model for the mean flow and the Biot’s consolidation equation for porous seabed as the governing equations respectively. The present wave and seabed sub-models in this studies are verified with physical experimental results and an analytical solution, while for the monopile structure, the wave impact force exerted on it are calculated and verified with physical experimental data to show that the present model has the ability to simulate the wave-seabed-pile structure interaction (WSSI-PILE). The numerical investigations on the monopile foundation indicated that the wave impact force on the pile structure and the seabed foundation has a very significant impact on horizontal displacement of the monopile within the seabed and the pile rocking motion. Parametric studies analysis on the effect of wave height, seabed permeability and pile structure diameter also indicated significant influence on the oscillatory wave-induced dynamic response .