Centrifuge Modelling of seismically loaded monopiles: DONISIS – System Response
Centrifuge Modelling of seismically loaded monopiles: DONISIS – System Response
The demand for renewable offshore wind energy is driving an expansion of the global market, including earthquake prone regions. Understanding earthquake effects on large-diameter monopile (MP) used to support these OWTs is increasingly critical and requires targeted research. Physical modelling in a geotechnical centrifuge provides an appropriate platform to study these structures, providing key insights into dynamic SSI. This work presents some key results from centrifuge tests of a large diameter monopile with scaled superstructure and extensive instrumentation. The model OWT is founded on Hostun HN31 sand, saturated with water. The seismic performance of the MP is monitored by embedded accelerometers; the soil is also densely instrumented with multiple arrays of accelerometers. The system is subjected to an earthquake motion from the Kocaeli earthquake, and the recorded response illustrates the interaction between soil, MP and superstructure.
Eva Brunschweiler; Liam Jones; S. Panagoulias; F. Pisano; Evangelos Kementzetzidis; I. Anastasopoulos
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Special Session 2: Seismic behaviour of offshore foundations from dynamic centrifuge testing
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-347