Numerical Simulations for Response of Offshore Wind Turbine Monopile Under the Action of Dynamic Loading

Abstract

Wind energy is one of the most important renewable energy sources; and specifically offshore wind turbines (OWTs) are more convenient ones because of the presence of uninterrupted high-velocity winds in the offshore area. To stabilize the OWT structure, the foundation plays the most significant role. Most of the offshore wind farms employ fixed type foundations for shallow water depth. Among the fixed type foundations, monopiles arose as the first choice for the scientists and practicing engineering because of its ease of installation and economical aspects. Besides, due to high magnitude of wind pressure and wave force in offshore areas, these OWTs face a heavy dynamic lateral loading which creates unbalanced forces and moments as well as vibrations which can make the whole structure unstable by affecting these monopiles. Research has been done in the past on monopoles, but still the responses could not be understood completely. Therefore, an attempt has been made in this study to investigate the lateral behavior of monopile-tower structure under the action of dynamic lateral loadings using Finite Element (FE) analyses. A 3D numerical model has been developed in ABAQUS program; and the numerical model has been validated with the available literature. In addition, parametric studies were conducted to understand the effects of loading conditions, pile geometric configuration, and soil shear parameters on the lateral response of the monopile-tower assembly. Results obtained from the rigorous numerical analyses demonstrate that the wind load in isolation can significantly augment the lateral displacement of OWT hubs. Moreover, an additional wave load may diminish this displacement at the hub. Additionally, the length and diameter of the monopile also exert a notable influence on governing the lateral response. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.