Wind Turbine Monopile Foundations Research Articles

Numerical Investigation of Local Scour Protection around the Foundation of an Offshore Wind Turbine

The pile foundations of offshore wind turbines face serious problems from scour damage. This study takes offshore wind turbine monopile foundations as the research object and proposes an innovative anti-scour device for the protection net. A numerical simulation research method based on CFD-DEM was used to model the local scour of the pile foundation and protection net. The validity of the numerical model was verified by comparing the simulation results of the local scour of the pile foundation under the condition of clear water scour and the results of the flume test. The permeability rate was defined to characterize the overwatering of the protection net, and numerical simulations were performed for protection nets with permeability in the range of 0.681 to 0.802. The flow field perturbations, changes in washout pit morphology, and changes in washout depth development due to the protective netting were also analyzed. It was found that the protection net can effectively reduce the flow velocity around the pile, cut down the intensity of the submerged water in front of the pile, and provide scouring protection. Finally, the analysis and summary of the protection efficiency of the different protection nets revealed that the protection efficiency within the nets was consistently the highest. On the outside of the net, the protection efficiency is poor at a small permeability rate but increases with an increasing permeability rate.

Performance of riprap armour at vibrating offshore wind turbine monopile foundations

Performance of riprap armour at vibrating offshore wind turbine monopile foundations

Statistical modeling of fully nonlinear hydrodynamic loads on offshore wind turbine monopile foundations using wave episodes and targeted CFD simulations through active sampling

AbstractAccurately determining hydrodynamic force statistics is crucial for designing offshore engineering structures, including offshore wind turbine foundations, due to the significant impact of nonlinear wave–structure interactions. However, obtaining precise load statistics often involves computationally intensive simulations. Furthermore, the estimation of statistics using current practices is subject to ongoing discussion due to the inherent uncertainty involved. To address these challenges, we present a novel machine learning framework that leverages data‐driven surrogate modeling to predict hydrodynamic loads on monopile foundations while reducing reliance on costly simulations and facilitate the load statistics reconstruction. The primary advantage of our approach is the significant reduction in evaluation time compared to traditional modeling methods. The novelty of our framework lies in its efficient construction of the surrogate model, utilizing the Gaussian process regression machine learning technique and a Bayesian active learning method to sequentially sample wave episodes that contribute to accurate predictions of extreme hydrodynamic forces. Additionally, a spectrum transfer technique combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results from both quiescent and extreme waves, further reducing data requirements. This study focuses on reducing the dimensionality of stochastic irregular wave episodes and their associated hydrodynamic force time series. Although the dimensionality reduction is linear, Gaussian process regression successfully captures high‐order correlations. Furthermore, our framework incorporates built‐in uncertainty quantification capabilities, facilitating efficient parameter sampling using traditional CFD tools. This paper provides comprehensive implementation details and demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach in delivering reliable statistics for hydrodynamic loads while overcoming the computational cost constraints associated with classical modeling methods.

Numerical study on vibratory extraction of offshore wind turbine monopile foundations under sandy seabed condition

The wind industry has experienced a rapid growth in Europe over the last decades. The early generation turbines were designed for a life of 20–25 years. Decommissioning of offshore wind turbines is becoming more important since many of these installed assets are approaching their end of lifetime. In this study, using vibratory extraction of monopile foundations instead of current practice of cutting them is investigated numerically. Correct estimation of extraction force helps operators to choose suitable vibro-hammer and vessel (or crane-barge), which leads to reduction of decommissioning costs. A Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) approach of ABAQUS/Explicit combined with a modified Mohr-Coulomb (MMC) model are used to find the pile shaft resistance during total removal operation under saturated dense sand condition. The MMC model captures the nonlinear pre-peak hardening and post-peak softening of the dense sand which is not modelled by conventional Mohr-Coulomb model. The VUSDFLD subroutine, which is a user-defined framework, has been used to implement the MMC model into CEL analysis. A parametric study is conducted to analyze how the characteristics of the vibro-hammer, such as its frequency, eccentric moment, and the extraction rate influence the results. The present numerical results show that using proper frequency results in reduction of soil resistance to less than 25% of the initial resistance. However, appropriate hammer with enough eccentric moment and suitable extraction rate, are vital to ensure soil degradation. The results show that the proposed methodology is both robust and straightforward and it has the potential to reduce computational time which is efficient for engineering applications.

Experimental study of collar protection for local scour reduction around offshore wind turbine monopile foundations

Experimental study of collar protection for local scour reduction around offshore wind turbine monopile foundations

Dynamic and monotonic response of Monopile Foundations for Offshore wind turbines using centrifuge testing

The seismic response of monopile foundations is a growing area of research as the offshore wind industry expands worldwide, including in earthquake prone regions of the world. This paper presents dynamic centrifuge tests aimed at investigating the dynamic response of monopiles in both dry and saturated sandy soils. The latter case includes soil liquefaction under strong input motions, with measured excess pore pressures indicating liquefaction. The natural frequency of the monopile-soil system is experimentally determined by measuring the response to a sine sweep motion. Strong earthquakes are then applied at this frequency and its harmonics. This paper discusses the response of the monopile in terms of the peak accelerations observed in the dry and saturated tests, as well as using response spectra and amplification ratios. The dynamic bending moments along the pile are also measured to infer the bending moment profile with depth. Finally, two identical monopiles are pushed-over in each of the centrifuge tests to establish the pre and post-earthquake monotonic response, including the lateral stiffness and capacity, which are compared for the dry model tests and the saturated case.

Countermeasures for local scour at offshore wind turbine monopile foundations: A review

Local scour at monopile foundations of offshore wind turbines is one of the most critical structural stability issues. This article reviews the contemporary methods of scour countermeasures at monopile foundations. These methods include armouring countermeasures (e.g., riprap protection) to enhance the anti-scour ability of the bed materials and flow-altering countermeasures (e.g., collars and sacrificial piles) to reduce downflow or change flow patterns around the monopiles. Stability number and size-selection equations for riprap armour layers are summarised and compared. Moreover, other alternative methods to riprap are briefly introduced and presented. A typical graph of the scour depth reduction with different collar sizes and elevations under specific test conditions is summarised and compared with a plot for a pile founded on a caisson. Reduction rates for different flow-altering countermeasures, including the collar, are listed and compared. A newly developed soil improvement method, namely microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP), is also reviewed and introduced as a scour protection method. As a popular bio-soil treatment method, MICP has a good potential as a scour countermeasure method. Bio-soil treatment methods and traditional armouring methods are defined as active and passive soil enhancement scour countermeasures, respectively.

Numerical Simulations of the Monotonic and Cyclic Behaviour of Offshore Wind Turbine Monopile Foundations in Clayey Soils

Most of the reported centrifuge tests available in the existing literature on offshore wind turbine foundations are focused on the behaviour of monopiles in sands, but very few studies on clayey soils can be found, due to the very long saturation and consolidation periods required to properly conduct experiments in such materials. Moreover, most of the reported numerical simulations using finite element analyses have been validated with monotonic centrifuge tests only. In this research, both monotonic and cyclic performance of offshore wind turbines in clay are validated and justified. The relationship between the monopile rotation in clays and the geometry and strength of the soil has been found and quantified. A prediction of the rotation for a high number of cycles of loading, based on the one experienced by the pile during the first cycle, can be obtained using the correlation derived in the paper. For those cases in which the rotation does not reach a steady value after a high number of cycles, the cumulative rate has been found significantly larger than the prediction conducted with standard analytical methods. A new design methodology for the design of offshore monopile foundations in clay is presented.

Material pre-straining effects on fracture toughness variation in offshore wind turbine foundations

S355 structural steel is a commonly used material in the fabrication of foundation structures of offshore wind turbines, which are predominantly supported using monopiles. During the manufacturing process of monopile foundations, S355 steel plates are pre-strained via a three point bending and rolling process, which subsequently changes the mechanical, fatigue and fracture properties of the material. The aim of this study is to investigate the variation in fracture toughness of S355 material by considering a range of pre-strain levels induced during the manufacturing process. Fracture toughness tests have been performed on compact tension specimens made of the as-received, 5% and 10% pre-strained S355 material. The test results have shown that the fracture toughness of the material decreases as the percentage of pre-straining increases. An empirical correlation has been derived between the yield strength of the material, the plastic pre-strain level and the fracture toughness values. The drawn relationship can potentially be utilised in the life assessment of offshore wind turbine monopile foundations to give a relatively accurate estimate of the remaining life by considering realistic values of fracture toughness post-fabrication, which results in better informed design and assessment.

On the performance of monopile weldments under service loading conditions and fatigue damage prediction

AbstractThick weldments used in offshore structures frequently act as fatigue crack initiation sites due to stress concentration at weld toe as well as weld residual stress fields. This paper investigates the cyclic deformation behavior of S355 G10+M steel, which is predominantly used in offshore wind applications. Owing to the vast size difference of monopile structure and weld cross‐section, a global–local finite element (FE) method was used, and the weld geometry was adopted from circumferential weld joints used in offshore wind turbine monopile foundations. Realistic service loads collected using supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and wave buoy techniques were used in the FE model. A nonlinear isotropic–kinematic hardening model was calibrated using the strain controlled cyclic deformation results obtained from base metal (BM) as well as cross‐weld specimen tests. The tests revealed that the S355 G10+M BM and weld metal (WM) undergo continuous cyclic stress relaxation. Fatigue damage over a period of 20 years of operation was predicted using the local stress at the root of the weldments as the life limiting criterion. This study helps in quantifying the level of conservatism in the current monopile design approaches and has implications towards making wind energy more economic.

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF JACKET FOUNDATIONS FOR OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES IN TRANSITIONAL WATER

Most of the offshore wind turbines (OWT) recently installed in Europe, China and North America are in shallow water. However, unlocking the full potential of OWT lies in deeper waters. Jacket substructures have presented themselves as a reliable foundation concept for transitional water depth. This study focuses on the structural static and dynamic analysis of the traditional jacket substructures (with X and K bracing) and the recently patented three-legged twisted jackets (with a twisted angle of 30 and 60 degrees) for deployment in transitional water (beyond 60 m). To facilitate comparison, the dimensions of all the jackets remain the same, while, the geometric configurations are distinct. Static analysis was implemented to better understand the global load bearing behaviour of the jackets. First, the global displacement patterns at the tower top are compared. The individual reactions at mud-line were investigated, followed by the evaluation of the maximum von Mises stress. Subsequently, this research went on to investigate the effect of dynamic loading. In this dynamic analysis, three main critical points were considered, including the wave point (67 m), the platform and the tower top. A modal analysis was performed to compute the mode shapes and natural frequencies for all the jackets. The first five modes of all the jackets were also checked against the results available for the OC4 project. A similar analytical approach was adopted for the structural design of monopile or tripod foundations for offshore wind turbines. The results showed that in the static analysis both the traditional jackets and the twisted jackets were safe under the provided load combination. The twisted jacket proved to possess excellent structural behaviour compared to the traditional four-legged jackets, while maintaining the merits of lower material usage with fewer nodes. Analysing the von Mises stress revealed that the maximum stress occurred at the transition piece and close to the working platform. The modal analysis results of the jackets demonstrated that the twisted jackets (30 and 60 degrees) with the first natural frequency of 0.29 and 0.31 Hz fell under the soft-stiff design category whereas the traditional four-legged jackets were classified as stiff-stiff designs. The discovered structural performance of OWTs equipped with various jacket foundations contributes to the preliminary structural selection and optimal design of foundations of OWTs to be installed in transitional water.

Simplified design of new hybrid monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines

First, a review of knowledge developed over the previous 50 years was presented, including various simplified methods of analyzing hybrid foundations. To discuss this subject comprehensively, a reference to calculations of piles was also made. On this basis, the author focused in the paper on new aspects of designing the hybrid foundations in serviceability limit states. The know-how review showed that the aspects of hybrid foundation design have been poorly recognized so far. For practical reasons, a simple calculation method for the hybrid foundations, useful for initial decision making, is still needed. A new design method was presented, based on a hybrid pile-soil interaction concept. A general design concept was described, the assumptions were formulated, and the method was explained in detail. A practical application of this method has been demonstrated for a large diameter hybrid pile, previously tested at full scale under lateral load. The calculation results were compared with the well-verified data obtained from the field test. By incorporating the extended knowledge on the mechanism of the pile-soil interaction, a significantly reduced horizontal stress in front of the pile was achieved. The conducted calculations confirmed that the hybrid monopile displacement is 40–70% lower compared to the standard monopile with similar dimensions. This method allows the stability of the new hybrid monopiles under lateral load to be assessed in a better way. The gained experiences can be useful for designers and other researchers to enhance the design of offshore wind turbines on monopiles.

Monotonic laterally loaded pile testing in a stiff glacial clay till at Cowden

This paper describes the results obtained from a field testing campaign on laterally loaded monopiles conducted at Cowden, UK, where the soil consists principally of a heavily overconsolidated glacial till. These tests formed part of the PISA project on the development of improved design methods for monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines. Results obtained for monotonic loading tests on piles of three different diameters (0·273 m, 0·762 m and 2·0 m) are presented. The piles had length-to-diameter ratios (L/D) of between 3 and 10. The tests included the application of monotonic loading incorporating periods of constant load to investigate creep effects, and investigations on the influence of loading rate. Data are presented on measured bending moments and inclinations induced in the piles. Inferred data on lateral displacements of the embedded section of the piles are determined using an optimised structural model. These field data support the development of a new one-dimensional modelling approach for the design of monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines. They also form a unique database of field measurements in an overconsolidated clay, from lateral loading of piles at a vertical distance above the ground surface.

Monotonic laterally loaded pile testing in a dense marine sand at Dunkirk

The results obtained from a field testing campaign on laterally loaded monopiles, conducted at a dense sand site in Dunkirk, northern France are described. These tests formed part of the PISA project on the development of improved design methods for monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines. Results obtained from monotonic loading tests on piles of three different diameters (0·273 m, 0·762 m and 2·0 m) are presented. The piles had length-to-diameter ratios (L/D) of between 3 and 10. The tests consisted principally of the application of monotonic loads, incorporating periods of held constant load to investigate creep effects. The influence of loading rate was also investigated. Data are presented on the overall load–displacement behaviour of each of the test piles. Measured data on bending moments and inclinations induced in the piles are also provided. Inferences are made for the displacements in the embedded length of the piles. These field data will support the development of a new one-dimensional modelling approach for the design of monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines. They also form a unique database of field measurements in a dense sand, from lateral loading of piles at a vertical distance above the ground surface.

Offshore wind turbine monopile foundations: Design perspectives

Perspectives on design of offshore wind turbine (OWT) monopile foundations are provided in this paper by logically adopting optimal analysis choices with a balance between accuracy and computational efficiency. A newly developed analysis framework is used for this purpose. The analysis framework consists of dynamic analysis with linear viscoelastic soil and static analysis with nonlinear elastic soil. The framework is used to show that the Timoshenko beam theory produces most accurate monopile response although the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory produces optimal results maintaining a balance between accuracy and computational efficiency. The rigid beam theory can be used only under very restricted soil and monopile conditions. The analysis further demonstrates that static analysis is sufficient and optimal in producing monopile-soil stiffness values that can be used for determining the natural frequency of vibration of the OWTs. Moreover, nonlinear elastic analysis is sufficiently accurate and quick to produce monopile responses that can be used in design and there is no need for elasto-plastic analysis. The aspect of cyclic degradation of soil stiffness over the design life of monopiles is not considered. Thus, an optimal pathway for monopile design is described using the newly developed analysis framework and demonstrated through a design example.

Validation and Application of a New Software Tool Implementing the PISA Design Methodology

The PISA (Pile Soil Analysis) research project has resulted in a new methodology for the design of offshore wind turbine monopile foundations. A new software tool called PLAXIS Monopile Designer (MoDeTo) has been developed that automates the PISA design methodology. It facilitates the calibration of the so-called soil reaction curves by automated three-dimensional finite element calculations and it allows for a quick design of monopiles using the calibrated soil reaction curves in a one-dimensional finite element model based on Timoshenko beam theory. The monopile design approach has been validated for sand- and clay-type soils which are common in North Sea soil deposits. The paper presents a validation exercise based on the PISA research project proposal of a rule-based parametric model—General Dunkirk Sand Model (GDSM)—for Dunkirk sand as well as an application of the tool for a project involving an offshore wind turbine on a monopile foundation in sandy layered soil in which the PISA design is compared to the conventional API design. The paper concludes with a discussion of the results and the differences between the various methods.

Flume Tank Testing of Offshore Wind Turbine Dynamics with Foundation Scour and Scour Protection

Scour erosion processes can occur at seabed level around offshore wind turbine monopile foundations. These scour processes are often especially severe at sites where mobile sediments, such as sands, are present in the superficial seabed soils. Loss of local soil support to the monopile, caused by scour erosion, can lead to significant changes in the dynamic characteristics of the wind turbine support structure. This can result in accelerated fatigue damage, owing to the applied cyclic loads from the wind turbine generator, especially at the rotor frequency. Although scour erosion can be controlled by appropriate scour protection systems, there is a lack of knowledge to support the design and optimization of these protection measures, to ensure that the dynamic performance of the wind turbine support structure remains within acceptable limits. This paper describes an experimental campaign conducted on a 1:20 scale model of a driven monopile foundation and wind turbine support structure, founded in a prepared sand test bed in the Fast Flow Facility flume (HR Wallingford, UK). Scour processes were induced by applying cycles of flow. Experiments were conducted to investigate the influence that these scour processes, and selected concepts for preventative and remedial scour protection, have on the dynamic characteristics of the monopile–tower system. The paper describes the experimental procedures that were adopted, and provides an assessment of the results.

A Feasibility Study for Using Fishnet to Protect Offshore Wind Turbine Monopile Foundations from Damage by Scouring

Offshore wind turbine monopile foundations are subjected to complex wind, wave, and flow coupling effects, which result in seabed scouring around the monopile. The consequent scour pits threaten the reliability, safety, and load-carrying capacity of the monopile. In order to develop a cost-effective measure to mitigate such an issue, a new countermeasure device, named “fishnet”, is studied in this paper using a combined approach of numerical simulations and experimental tests. In the research, the size of the fishnet, diameter of the fishnet thread, and the installation height of the fishnet were optimized in order to achieve the best protection to the monopile foundation. In the paper, both numerical simulations and laboratory tests proved the effectiveness of the proposed “fishnet” in reducing the scour around the wind turbine monopile foundations. Moreover, its contribution to erosion reduction can be further enhanced via optimization. It was found that, after optimization, the maximum shear force on the seabed could be reduced by 14% in the numerical study, and the maximum depth of the scour pit could be reduced by 38.2% in laboratory tests.

Rigid pile response to cyclic lateral loading: laboratory tests

This paper presents experimental work aimed at improving understanding of the behaviour of rigid monopiles, in cohesionless soils, subjected to lateral cyclic loading. It involves 1g laboratory model tests, scaled to represent monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines. The test programme is designed to identify the key mechanisms governing pile response, and is divided into four main parts: (a) investigation of loading rate effects; (b) hysteretic behaviour during unloading and reloading; (c) pile response due to long-term single-amplitude cyclic loading; and (d) multi-amplitude cyclic loads. The results show that the pile response conforms closely to the extended Masing rules, with additional permanent deformation accumulated during non-symmetric cyclic loads. This ratcheting behaviour is characterised by two features: first, the ratcheting rate decreases with cycle number and depends on the cyclic load magnitude, and second, the shape of the hysteresis loop tightens progressively, involving increased secant stiffness and decreased loop area. Test results involving multi-amplitude load scenarios demonstrate that the response of the pile to complex load scenarios can be analysed and understood using the conclusions from single-amplitude cyclic loading. Such test results should be sufficient for deriving the principles of new modelling approaches.

New shape function solutions for fracture mechanics analysis of offshore wind turbine monopile foundations

Offshore wind turbines are considered one of the most promising solutions to provide sustainable energy. The dominant majority of all installed offshore wind turbines are fixed to the seabed using monopile foundations. To predict the lifetime of these structures, reliable values for shape function and stress intensity factor are needed. In this study, a new equation is developed through finite element simulations which have been performed for a wide range of monopile geometries with different dimensions, crack lengths and depths, to evaluate shape function and stress intensity factor solutions for monopiles. The new solutions have been verified through comparison with the existing solutions provided by Newman & Raju for small hollow cylinders. The empirical shape function solutions developed in this study are employed in a case study and the results have been compared with the existing shape function solutions. It is found that the old solutions provide inaccurate estimations of fatigue crack growth in monopiles and they underestimate or overestimate the fatigue life depending on the shape function solution employed in the structural integrity assessment. The use of the new solution will result in more accurate monopile designs as well as life predictions of existing monopile structures.