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A Simplified Method for Estimating the Initial Stiffness of Monopile—Soil Interaction Under Lateral Loads in Offshore Wind Turbine Systems

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Abstract

The interface mechanical behavior of a monopile is an important component of the overall offshore wind turbine structure design. Understanding the soil—structure interaction, particularly the initial soil—structure stiffness, has a significant impact on the study of natural frequency and dynamic response of the monopile. In this paper, a simplified method for estimating the interface mechanical behavior of monopiles under initial lateral loads is proposed. Depending on the principle of minimum potential energy and virtual work theory, the functions of soil reaction components at the interface of monopiles are derived; MATLAB programming has been used to simplify the functions of the initial stiffness by fitting a large number of examples; then the functions are validated against the field test data and FDM results. This method can modify the modulus of the subgrade reaction in the p—y curve method for the monopile-supported offshore wind turbine system.

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Funding

The paper was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 52201324, 52078128, and 52278355), the Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institution of China (Grant No. 22KJB560015) and the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. SJCX21_1794).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, 212003, China

    Xiao-juan Li, Ming-xing Zhu, Li-yan Wang & Hong-yuan Liu

  2. School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China

    Guo-liang Dai

  3. Key Laboratory of Concrete and Prestressed Concrete Structures of the Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China

    Guo-liang Dai

Authors
  1. Xiao-juan Li
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  2. Guo-liang Dai
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  3. Ming-xing Zhu
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  4. Li-yan Wang
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  5. Hong-yuan Liu
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Correspondence to Xiao-juan Li.

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Li, Xj., Dai, Gl., Zhu, Mx. et al. A Simplified Method for Estimating the Initial Stiffness of Monopile—Soil Interaction Under Lateral Loads in Offshore Wind Turbine Systems. China Ocean Eng 37, 165–174 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13344-023-0014-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13344-023-0014-6

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