Mechanical behavior of grouted connections under compression-bending loads

Abstract

A grouted connection (GC) is critical to the transfer of combined axial force and bending moment from an upper tower to a substructure. Meanwhile, the increasing offshore wind turbine capacities and deeper pile foundation locations require robust connection structures. However, it is difficult to completely test the stress in GCs through experiments. So, in this paper, a numerical approach combined with python was adopted to analyze the load transferring mechanism between staggered shear keys mounted. A Parametric (grout thickness, the height-to-spacing ratio of the shear keys, and the length-to-diameter ratio of the tube) study was conducted to determine the effect on the mechanical behavior. In addition, an equation and two coefficients were proposed: the regression function of the contact pressure distribution, the non-uniform coefficient ηsk and the amplification coefficient βsk of the shear keys force. Through an analysis of the composition of the flexural capacity, it was found that shear keys accounts for the largest proportion while the contact pressure took the second place. From the study, programming enriches the post-processing of the numerical simulation, which provides researchers a method to research the GCs through complex calculations. And by the analyzing the parameters and introducing related variables, a deeper understanding of the mechanical performance of GCs has been obtained.