Centrifuge Modeling of Offshore Pile Response under Inclined Monotonic and Cyclic Loading
Centrifuge Modeling of Offshore Pile Response under Inclined Monotonic and Cyclic Loading
As offshore wind technology advances into deeper waters, understanding the performance of foundation systems under complex load paths becomes increasingly important. Inclined pullout loading scenarios are highly relevant to floating wind anchor design. This study investigates the pull-out behaviour of offshore piles under inclined monotonic and cyclic loading using centrifuge modelling at 50g. Tests were conducted in dense sand with load inclination angles of 90°, and 75°. The results show that inclined loading leads to a more gradual mobilisation of resistance and, as the load direction becomes more horizontal, to comparable or even higher capacities than those observed under vertical loading. This response is linked to the development of additional lateral soil resistance under inclined loading, which increases the normal stress acting on the pile shaft and enhances the mobilisation of shaft resistance. Under the range of explored loading paths, cyclic responses remain largely bounded by the monotonic envelope, indicating that cyclic loading alters the mobilisation path rather than the failure mechanism. The findings highlight the importance of accounting for load inclination in the design of offshore mooring foundations.
Eli Hosseinzadeh; K. Gavin; Miguel Angel Cabrera
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Session 6: Onshore and offshore foundation systems
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-258