Optimisation of tensile capacity of vibro-installed floating offshore anchor piles using DEM simulation

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4. Optimisation of tensile capacity of vibro-installed floating offshore anchor piles using DEM simulation

Vibro installed anchor piles are an anchor type being considered for offshore floating wind. Compared with impact driven and jacked methods of installation for open ended piles, vibratory installation is a potential alternative to improve the installation speed and reduce the noise emissions. However, it is often assumed that the in-service capacity of vibrated piles is lower, which may hinder the application of purely vibratory based installation. Vibratory frequency has been proven to be a significant parameter that influences the ground response during the driving process. Resonant compaction after vibratory pile installation has been proposed to improve the bearing capacity of onshore piles. This paper presents preliminary results of a Discrete Element Method numerical study investigating the post-installation resonant frequency treatment effects on vibro installed pile tensile capacity. Tensile uplift loading was applied to piles installed by jacking, vibration only and vibration with a post installation resonant compaction phase. The results show that the installation methods can influence the pile behaviour under uplift loading. Resonance compaction can improve the tensile capacity of a vibratory installed pile. The radial stress shows a significant increase, and a decrease of the void ratio is also observed outside of the pile after the resonance.

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

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