Seabed response to wave-induced loading around a monopile foundation: insights from physical modelling
Seabed response to wave-induced loading around a monopile foundation: insights from physical modelling
Wave-seabed interaction around offshore monopile foundations significantly influences seabed dynamics and foundation behaviour. In particular, the development of wave-induced pore pressures under irregular wave loading requires further investigation to assess seabed behaviour under more realistic wave conditions. This paper presents experimental results on wave-induced pore pressures in the seabed surrounding an embedded, scaled monopile subjected to both regular and irregular waves. Tests were conducted under a range of wave heights, wave periods and water depths. Pore pressures were measured at several locations and depths around the monopile. Comparisons between regular and irregular wave tests show that regular waves provide a reasonable approximation of the seabed response when significant pore pressure values are considered. In contrast, the maximum pore pressures induced by irregular waves are substantially larger and can be up to nearly twice those obtained under regular wave loading. Comparisons with field pore pressure data confirm that the experiments reliably capture the wave-induced component of the seabed response, highlighting the relevance of the findings for offshore design applications.
Maria Gkougkoudi-Papaioannou; B. Stuyts; Carlos Sastre Jurado; Christof Devriendt; Peter Troch
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Special Session 6: Physical modelling for life-cycle foundation management
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-406