Offshore Wind Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI)

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Geological Oceanography".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 34132

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
Interests: structural health monitoring; vibration-based bridge scour monitoring; offshore engineering; structural dynamics and geotechnical engineering
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wind engineering is playing a central role in energy transition, as fossil-based fuels are becoming less and less acceptable to society. With growing consensus that human activities are central in accelerating climate change, there is significant political pressure to address the challenges facing society. Wind power is one of the most scientifically-mature renewable energy technologies and already constitutes 44% of all new power installations (2017) and supplies 11% of the current electricity demand in Europe. While most of the developments up until recent times have been onshore, due to aesthetic and land-use reasons, the pace is slowing. Offshore wind is an attractive alternative due to higher available wind speeds and the ability to construct much larger turbines than would be permissible onshore. Offshore wind is currently experiencing significant growth, and many near-shore sites have already been exploited worldwide. As a result, there is a need to explore the potential for wind developments in far-offshore sites away from shipping lanes and other coastal infrastructure. The current rate of development and deployment of new wind systems is out-pacing the science underpinning the foundation design and soil–structure interaction of these systems. There is emerging uncertainty regarding the applicability of existing design approaches to newly developed foundation systems, the influence of parameter uncertainty in soil data, the accuracy of offshore soil testing approaches, dynamic interaction effects between large turbine systems and different foundation concepts, and life-cycle costs of emerging systems. 

This Special Issue on “Offshore Wind Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI)” aims to showcase some recent innovative and exciting developments in offshore soil–structure interaction for wind energy infrastructure. Rapid reviewing and publication turn-around for high-quality contributions is ensured, with scope relating (though not limited) to:

  • Novel foundation concepts for offshore wind;
  • Dynamic soil–structure interaction;
  • Cyclic loading;
  • Fatigue analysis;
  • Life-cycle analysis;
  • Probabilistic design of offshore foundation systems;
  • CPT-based SSI;
  • Physical modelling in offshore geotechnics;
  • Advances in numerical modeling of SSI;
  • New material models and modeling frameworks for SSI;
  • Uncertainty quantification and remediation in SSI;
  • Novel testing methods for soil parameter estimation;
  • Scour around offshore foundations;
  • Pore pressure effects;
  • Installation effects

Original research papers, review articles, and case studies are welcome for this Special Issue. Please get in touch if you wish to check the applicability of a proposed submission.

Dr. Luke J. Prendergast
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Offshore
  • Foundation design
  • Wind engineering
  • Geotechnics
  • Uncertainty
  • Soil data
  • Testing
  • Hybrid foundations
  • Life-cycle analysis
  • Physical models
  • Numerical techniques

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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51 pages, 30529 KiB  
Article
Physical Modelling of Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations for TRL (Technology Readiness Level) Studies
by Subhamoy Bhattacharya, Domenico Lombardi, Sadra Amani, Muhammad Aleem, Ganga Prakhya, Sondipon Adhikari, Abdullahi Aliyu, Nicholas Alexander, Ying Wang, Liang Cui, Saleh Jalbi, Vikram Pakrashi, Wei Li, Jorge Mendoza and Nathan Vimalan
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(6), 589; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9060589 - 29 May 2021
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 10314
Abstract
Offshore wind turbines are a complex, dynamically sensitive structure due to their irregular mass and stiffness distribution, and complexity of the loading conditions they need to withstand. There are other challenges in particular locations such as typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes, sea-bed currents, and tsunami. [...] Read more.
Offshore wind turbines are a complex, dynamically sensitive structure due to their irregular mass and stiffness distribution, and complexity of the loading conditions they need to withstand. There are other challenges in particular locations such as typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes, sea-bed currents, and tsunami. Because offshore wind turbines have stringent Serviceability Limit State (SLS) requirements and need to be installed in variable and often complex ground conditions, their foundation design is challenging. Foundation design must be robust due to the enormous cost of retrofitting in a challenging environment should any problem occur during the design lifetime. Traditionally, engineers use conventional types of foundation systems, such as shallow gravity-based foundations (GBF), suction caissons, or slender piles or monopiles, based on prior experience with designing such foundations for the oil and gas industry. For offshore wind turbines, however, new types of foundations are being considered for which neither prior experience nor guidelines exist. One of the major challenges is to develop a method to de-risk the life cycle of offshore wind turbines in diverse metocean and geological conditions. The paper, therefore, has the following aims: (a) provide an overview of the complexities and the common SLS performance requirements for offshore wind turbine; (b) discuss the use of physical modelling for verification and validation of innovative design concepts, taking into account all possible angles to de-risk the project; and (c) provide examples of applications in scaled model tests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Offshore Wind Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI))
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17 pages, 4485 KiB  
Article
Installation of Large-Diameter Monopiles: Introducing Wave Dispersion and Non-Local Soil Reaction
by Athanasios Tsetas, Apostolos Tsouvalas and Andrei V. Metrikine
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(3), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9030313 - 12 Mar 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2762
Abstract
During the last decade the offshore wind industry grew ceaselessly and engineering challenges continuously arose in that area. Installation of foundation piles, known as monopiles, is one of the most critical phases in the construction of offshore wind farms. Prior to installation a [...] Read more.
During the last decade the offshore wind industry grew ceaselessly and engineering challenges continuously arose in that area. Installation of foundation piles, known as monopiles, is one of the most critical phases in the construction of offshore wind farms. Prior to installation a drivability study is performed, by means of pile driving models. Since the latter have been developed for small-diameter piles, their applicability for the analysis of large-diameter monopiles is questionable. In this paper, a three-dimensional axisymmetric pile driving model with non-local soil reaction is presented. This new model aims to capture properly the propagation of elastic waves excited by impact piling and address non-local soil reaction. These effects are not addressed in the available approaches to predict drivability and are deemed critical for large-diameter monopiles. Predictions of the new model are compared to those of a one-dimensional model typically used nowadays. A numerical study is performed to showcase the disparities between the two models, stemming from the effect of wave dispersion and non-local soil reaction. The findings of this numerical study affirmed the significance of both mechanisms and the need for further developments in drivability modeling, notably for large-diameter monopiles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Offshore Wind Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI))
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22 pages, 8134 KiB  
Article
Effect of Horizontal Multidirectional Cyclic Loading on Piles in Sand: A Numerical Analysis
by Orianne Jenck, Armita Obaei, Fabrice Emeriault and Christophe Dano
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(2), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9020235 - 23 Feb 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3070
Abstract
Foundations of offshore and nearshore wind energy production systems are subjected to multidirectional and cyclic loads, due to the combined action of wind and waves and in the particular case of mutualized anchor foundations for floating wind turbines, to the phase shift between [...] Read more.
Foundations of offshore and nearshore wind energy production systems are subjected to multidirectional and cyclic loads, due to the combined action of wind and waves and in the particular case of mutualized anchor foundations for floating wind turbines, to the phase shift between the loads generated in the adjacent anchored turbines. This article presents a three-dimensional numerical model developed with FLAC3D to analyse the impact of the change in direction of the horizontal load during the cycles. The typical case of a 1.7 m diameter and 10 m-long pile founded in a dense homogeneous sand is considered. A specific procedure has been implemented to apply force-controlled cycles with a change in lateral load direction. The results are compared to mono-directional lateral cyclic loads with the same average and cyclic forces. The results of the parametric study highlight the effect of the average value and amplitude of the cyclic loading on the accumulation of pile head horizontal displacements during the cycles. When a multidirectional cyclic loading is applied, it also leads to an accumulation of the deviated horizontal displacements, and the resulting accumulated horizontal displacements are larger than for a mono-directional cyclic loading of the same amplitude. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Offshore Wind Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI))
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21 pages, 2596 KiB  
Article
Study of the Sound Escape with the Use of an Air Bubble Curtain in Offshore Pile Driving
by Yaxi Peng, Apostolos Tsouvalas, Tasos Stampoultzoglou and Andrei Metrikine
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(2), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9020232 - 22 Feb 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4873
Abstract
Underwater noise pollution generated by offshore pile driving has raised serious concerns over the ecological impact on marine life. To comply with the strict governmental regulations on the threshold levels of underwater noise, bubble curtains are usually applied in practice. This paper examines [...] Read more.
Underwater noise pollution generated by offshore pile driving has raised serious concerns over the ecological impact on marine life. To comply with the strict governmental regulations on the threshold levels of underwater noise, bubble curtains are usually applied in practice. This paper examines the effectiveness of an air bubble curtain system in noise reduction for offshore pile driving. The focus is placed on the evaluation of noise transmission paths, which are essential for the effective blockage of sound propagation. A coupled two-step approach for the prediction of underwater noise is adopted, which allows us to treat the waterborne and soilborne noise transmission paths separately. The complete model consists of two modules: a noise prediction module for offshore pile driving aiming at the generation and propagation of the wave field and a noise reduction module for predicting the transmission loss in passing through an air bubble curtain. With the proposed model, underwater noise prognosis is examined in the following cases: (i) free-field noise prediction without the air bubble curtain, (ii) waterborne path fully blocked at the position of the air bubble curtain while the rest of the wave field is propagated at the target distance, (iii) similarly to (ii) but with a non-fully blocked waterborne path close to the seabed, and (iv) air bubble curtain modeled explicitly using an effective medium theory. The results provide a clear indication of the amount of energy that can be channeled through the seabed and through possible gaps in the water column adjacent to the seabed. The model allows for a large number of simulations and for a thorough parametric study of the noise escape when a bubble curtain is applied offshore. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Offshore Wind Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI))
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17 pages, 4060 KiB  
Article
Validation and Application of a New Software Tool Implementing the PISA Design Methodology
by Ronald Brinkgreve, Diego Lisi, Miquel Lahoz and Stavros Panagoulias
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(6), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8060457 - 21 Jun 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4870
Abstract
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 [...] Read more.
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. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Offshore Wind Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI))
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15 pages, 4749 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Liquefaction Potential in Saturated Sand under Different Drainage Boundary Conditions—An Energy Approach
by Chang-Rui Yao, Bo Wang, Zhi-Qiang Liu, Hao Fan, Fang-Hao Sun and Xin-Hao Chang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2019, 7(11), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse7110411 - 12 Nov 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2517
Abstract
Drainage conditions are supposed to have significant influence on sand liquefaction behavior. An infiltration device was utilized in cyclic triaxial tests to reproduce different drainage conditions by altering dry density of the within silt. Permeability coefficient ratio (kp) was utilized [...] Read more.
Drainage conditions are supposed to have significant influence on sand liquefaction behavior. An infiltration device was utilized in cyclic triaxial tests to reproduce different drainage conditions by altering dry density of the within silt. Permeability coefficient ratio (kp) was utilized for quantifying the drainage boundary effect. Cyclic triaxial tests were conducted on saturated Fujian standard sand samples. Test results were used to evaluate the liquefaction potential by using the energy approach. It can be concluded that, if kp increases slightly bigger than zero, excess pore water pressure (EPWP) will respond more fiercely, and the dissipated energy that triggers sand liquefaction will be less. By considering kp, an energy-based database was built by taking kp into consideration and different neural network (NN) models were constructed to predict liquefaction potential by energy approaches accurately under different drainage boundary conditions. It was suggested that the neuro-fuzzy (NF)-based NN model has more satisfactory performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Offshore Wind Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI))
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Review

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18 pages, 1858 KiB  
Review
Influence of Vertical Loading on Behavior of Laterally Loaded Foundation Piles: A Review
by Qiang Li, Luke J. Prendergast, Amin Askarinejad and Ken Gavin
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(12), 1029; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8121029 - 17 Dec 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3793
Abstract
The majority of installed offshore wind turbines are supported on large-diameter, open-ended steel pile foundations, known as monopiles. These piles are subjected to vertical and lateral loads while in service. In current design practice, interaction of vertical and lateral loads are not considered, [...] Read more.
The majority of installed offshore wind turbines are supported on large-diameter, open-ended steel pile foundations, known as monopiles. These piles are subjected to vertical and lateral loads while in service. In current design practice, interaction of vertical and lateral loads are not considered, rather piles are designed to resist vertical and lateral loads independently. Whilst interaction effects are widely studied for shallow foundations, the limited research on this topic for pile foundations often produces conflicting results. This paper reviews the research of the influence of vertical loading on the lateral response of pile foundations under combined loads, from the perspective of analytical research, numerical research, and experimental research from tests performed on 1-g (gravitational acceleration) model, centrifuge, and full-scale piles. The potential reasons for the differences among the results of previous research are discussed. Some guidance for future research on the effect of vertical loads on the lateral response of piles is provided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Offshore Wind Soil–Structure Interaction (SSI))
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