Lateral Loading of In-Flight Vibratory and Impact Driven Piles in Sand within a Geo-Centrifuge
Lateral Loading of In-Flight Vibratory and Impact Driven Piles in Sand within a Geo-Centrifuge
Vibratory driving is emerging as a promising alternative to traditional impact driving for offshore monopile installation. It offers significant advantages, including reduced noise emissions, mitigation of pile-run risks, and faster installation. In practice, the primary concern when considering vibratory installation is whether piles can be reliably driven to target depth under varying ground conditions. Beyond drivability, however, broader adoption also depends on a clear understanding of how this installation technique influences the in-service performance of the foundation, particularly its lateral behaviour, which governs dynamic response, lateral capacity, and cyclic accumulation (ratcheting) in offshore wind applications.To address this knowledge gap, the lateral response of model piles in sand installed in-flight using vibratory or impact methods is investigated in TU Delft geo-centrifuge. This work, conducted within the SAGE-SAND and GEOLAB FoundEx projects, integrates a custom-built vibratory driver developed at UCLouvain with impact hammering and lateral loading systems designed at TU Delft. The experimental campaign examines the monotonic and cyclic lateral behaviour of piles installed under controlled conditions, enabling a direct comparison of the effects of installation methods on pile performance. The results offer new insights into the role of installation techniques on soil-structure interaction and provide valuable data to support more reliable and environmentally favourable foundation design strategies for offshore wind turbines.
Luc Simonin; Pauline Andre; T. Quinten; Hadrien Rattez; Miguel Angel Cabrera; Stijn Francois; George Anoyatis
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Special Session 4: Innovative Methods for Offshore Foundation Installation
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-150