A review of benefits and pitfalls for prediction of geotechnical parameters in Offshore Wind ground models using Synthetic CPTs.

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4. A review of benefits and pitfalls for prediction of geotechnical parameters in Offshore Wind ground models using Synthetic CPTs.

Synthetic cone penetration test (CPT) profiling recently appeared as a buzzword in the geoscience community. While no unanimous definition exists, synthetic CPTs are often defined as predicted geotechnical parameters based on auxiliary variables. These synthetic datasets notably attracted the attention of the offshore wind sector, with the opportunity to characterise subseabed conditions over large areas where no prior measured data exist. These tools are foreseen as the next generation of tools for early site characterisation and de-risking, but also to support conceptual and detailed design of foundations, as well as cable routing and burial. The methods to generate synthetic parameters vary from basic spatial interpolation to complex 3D interpolation, or machine learning algorithms. The scope of methods is nearly as large as the number of published studies on synthetic CPTs and each method presents advantages and limitations, dependent on dataset availability and quality, amongst other factors, which must be understood. The application of such methods must be considered and adapted to the study objectives. This paper aims to provide an overview of the methods employed to predict geotechnical parameters, as well as benefits and limitations of synthetic CPTs and geotechnical parameter generation. This paper intends to inform potential end-users on how to assess the applicability of different synthetic CPT prediction methods and understand their limitations, from early site characterisation to foundation design and cable burial.

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

4 - Ground models