A numerical modelling exercise to simulate the lateral behaviour of impact and vibro-driven piles in dense sand

1. Home
2. Publications
3. Online Library
4. A numerical modelling exercise to simulate the lateral behaviour of impact and vibro-driven piles in dense sand

Monopiles are the predominant type of foundation for offshore wind turbine structures and are expected to remain so in the near future. The increased dimensions of modern monopiles generates more noise during installation due to the size of impact hammers required. Vibro-based techniques for monopile installation have been developed. However, the installation effects and the impact on subsequent lateral response of vibro-installed monopiles remains poorly understood. In that regard, practical numerical approaches to simulate the effects of different installation methods can be a useful tool for engineering practitioners to estimate the lateral response of monopiles installed with impact and vibro-driving. This paper presents a finite-element modelling exercise to simulate the effects of pile installation on the soil state and on pile lateral response. The exercise was carried out based on insights from the laboratory tests of the SIMOX Project as preparation for large-scale field tests. The numerical results provide insights into the effect of changes in soil stress and density and its relation to the differences in lateral response between vibro and impact-driven piles.

5th International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG2025)

6 - Pile Installation Challenges and Decommissioning in sands and clays: monopiles, anchor piles, pin piles