Undrained bearing capacity of spudcan under combined loading

The bearing capacities of spudcan foundation under pure vertical (V),horizontal (H),moment (M) loading and the combined loading are studied based on a series of three-dimensional finite element analysis.The effects of embedment ratio and soil non-homogeneity on the bearing capacity are investigated in detail.The capacities of spudcan under different pure loading are expressed in non-dimensional bearing capacity factors,which are compared with published results.Ultimate limit states under combined loading are presented by failure envelopes,which are expressed in terms of dimensionless and normalized form in three-dimensional load space.The comparison between the presented failure envelopes and available published numerical results reveals that the size and shape of failure envelopes are dependent on the embedment ratio and the non-homogeneity of the soil.     

海床表层软土对宽浅式筒型基础承载特性影响研究

近海海床表层多为软黏土或淤泥质土,为探究海床表层软土对海上风电宽浅式筒型基础承载特性的影响,以中国广东某海域风电场为背景,通过有限元分析的方法,研究竖向、水平、弯矩荷载作用下软土层厚度和土体强度对基础极限承载力、破坏模式以及筒基土压力分布的影响。研究结果表明:当软土层厚度小于H/2(H为筒裙高度)时,单向荷载作用下宽浅式筒型基础极限承载力随软土层厚度的增加呈线性减小的趋势;当软土层厚度大于H/2后,承载力降低速率逐渐增大。表层软土的存在,使得塑性区范围缩小,软土层内土体塑性破坏更加明显。竖向荷载作用下,随软土层厚度的增大,筒顶承载先减小后增大,筒内侧摩阻力先增大后减小;水平荷载和弯矩作用下,筒侧被动土压力的降低是引起软土覆盖地基中基础承载能力降低的主要因素。     

Evaluation of undrained failure envelopes of caisson foundations under combined loading

In this paper, results of a three-dimensional finite element study addressing the effect of embedment ratio (L/D) of caisson foundations on the undrained bearing capacity under uniaxial and combined loadings are discussed. The undrained response of caisson foundations under uniaxial vertical (V), horizontal (H) and moment (M) loading are investigated. A series of equations are proposed to predict the ultimate vertical, moment and maximum horizontal bearing capacity factors. The undrained response of caisson foundations under combined V-H and V-M load space is studied and presented using failure envelopes generated with side-swipe method. The kinematic mechanism accompanying failure under uniaxial loading is addressed and presented for different embedment ratios. Predictions of the uniaxial bearing capacities are compared with other models and it is confirmed that the proposed equations appropriately describe the capacity of caisson foundations under uniaxial vertical, horizontal and moment loading in homogenous undrained soils. The results of this paper can be used as a basis for standard design codes of off-shore skirted shallow foundations which will be the first of its kind.     

离岸裙式吸力基础在砂土地基中沉贯性研究

吸力基础是海洋工程中新型的一种基础型式,广泛应用于海洋平台、海洋浮动式结构等,近年来,也被作为浅海离岸风力发电工程的基础。吸力基础易遭受较大的水平动力荷载和弯矩,从而可能产生较大水平位移和转角;同时,由于海床冲刷,会降低其承载能力。为克服这些不足,提出了一种新型吸力基础———裙式吸力基础,把分析传统吸力基础砂土中的沉贯方法,拓广到裙式吸力基础中,研究该基础型式在砂土中的可沉贯性以及所需的吸力;并与同情况下的传统吸力基础进行了比较,证明了所提出的裙式吸力基础具有较好的沉贯性能,具有工程实践推广价值。     

Bearing capacity of semi-deep skirted foundations on clay using stress characteristics and finite element analyses

Semi-deep skirted foundations are now considered to be a viable foundation option for a variety of onshore and offshore applications. The capacity under combined vertical, horizontal, and moment loadings must be found to ensure their capability and stability. In this study, undrained bearing capacity subjected to vertical loading, as part of combined loading is determined through stress characteristics and finite element analyses. Circular skirted foundations with different soil strength and geometries considering embedment depth effects have been studied. Stress field, kinematic mechanism accompanying failure, and bearing capacity factors for various embedment ratios are investigated. Acquired vertical failure mechanism has demonstrated the transition from a general shear to a punch shear failure. Comparisons with different research works including conventional methods, upper and lower bound, finite element analyses, physical modeling, experimental, and centrifuge tests have indicated the underestimation of conventional approaches and accuracy of proposed methods in determining bearing capacity. Furthermore, differences between predicted bearing capacities and the results of this study increased with D/B ratio due to ignoring the significant role of skin friction in larger embedment circumference.     

Response and capacity of monopod caisson foundation under eccentric lateral loads

Monopod caisson foundation is a viable alternative for supporting offshore wind turbines located at shallow water depths. This foundation system has to resist overturning moment generated due to resultant lateral load, arising from wind and water wave action, that can act at any loading height above the seabed. This paper presents results of a numerical investigation performed to determine the influence of loading height, caisson geometry and superstructure load on the ultimate lateral capacity, initial stiffness, and soil failure zone of the foundation, when installed in very dense sand. Both the ultimate and serviceable states of the caisson foundation obtained from the analyses are represented in terms of envelopes plotted between lateral load and overturning moment. Simplified expressions, which take into account the influence of caisson geometry, loading height, and soil properties, are also presented to serve as a preliminary base for design of the monopod caisson foundation.     

A simplified calculation method for axial cyclic degradation of offshore wind turbine foundations in clay

Abstract

Pile foundation is the most popular option for the foundation of offshore wind turbines. The degradation of stiffness and bearing capacity of pile foundation induced by cyclic loading will be harmful for structure safety. In this article, a modified undrained elastic–plastic model considering the cyclic degradation of clay soil is proposed, and a simplified calculation method (SCM) based on shear displacement method is presented to calculate the axial degradated capacity of a single pile foundation for offshore wind turbines resisting cyclic loadings. The conception of plastic zone thickness R_p is introduced to obtain the function between accumulated plastic strain and displacement of soil around pile side. The axial ultimate capacity of single piles under axial cyclic loading calculated by this simplified analysis have a good consistency with the results from the finite element analysis, which verifies the accuracy and reliability of this method. As an instance, the behavior of pile foundation of an offshore wind farm under cyclic load is studied using the proposed numerical method and SCM. This simplified method may provide valuable reference for engineering design.     

海上风电单桩基础土相互作用特性影响因素分析

采用有限元软件ABAQUS建立了海上风电单桩基础与土相互作用数值计算模型,将波浪、洋流及风荷载等效成双向对称循环荷载,研究了水平循环荷载作用下不同因素对桩身水平位移、剪力和弯矩的影响规律。研究表明,随着循环荷载比的增加,桩身位移零点和桩身剪力反弯点沿埋深逐渐下移,桩身弯矩最大值点位于浅层土体;不同荷载频率时桩身位移在零点以上变化较大,桩身弯矩随着频率的增加逐渐增大;单向循环荷载作用下桩身位移最大,双向对称循环荷载作用下桩身位移最小;壁厚较小时对桩身水平位移影响较大;在位移零点之上范围内可以考虑设计"上厚下薄"的钢管桩,以减小桩身水平位移;不同桩壁厚时桩身剪力曲线在埋深约6D处出现交点,且泥面处桩身弯矩变化不明显。     

复合加载模式作用下地基承载性能数值分析

确定竖向荷载(V)、水平荷载(H)和力矩(M)共同作用下建筑物地基的破坏模式及在荷载空间(H,V,M)中的破坏包络面是地基设计中的关键问题。为提高Swipe试验方法计算精度,提出了改进方案,进而利用有限元方法分析了复合加载模式作用下均质粘性土地基上条形基础的破坏包络面。计算表明,基于改进Swipe试验方法的数值模拟结果明显好于常规Swipe试验方法。针对海洋工程中实际复合加载模式的特点,探讨了竖向荷载分量V对地基破坏模式和H-M荷载平面上的破坏包络线的影响,结果表明竖向荷载分量显著地改变了地基的破坏模式及包络线的形状。     

海上风机吸力基础的水平受荷研究综述

吸力基础具有施工速度快、安装过程中受海况天气影响小且易于回收重复利用等优点,被广泛应用于海洋工程。当吸力基础作为海上风电塔架的基础时,常常承受较大的水平荷载,因此其水平承载力是设计的主控因素。介绍了海上风机基础的设计要求,分析了影响基础水平承载性状的因素,总结了吸力基础受水平单调荷载、水平循环荷载和不同荷载组合三个方面的研究现状。讨论了水平荷载的大小、水平加载的高度(偏心率)、循环荷载的频率、循环荷载的次数、循环荷载的幅值、循环荷载的方向性、竖向荷载对吸力基础水平承载性状的影响,考虑了水平荷载的非共线性,指出了目前研究的不足,明确了吸力基础水平承载性状进一步研究的方向,提出了供工程实践参考的建议。     

砂土中冲刷条件下三筒基础水平承载特性研究

通过开展小比尺三筒基础承载力模型试验,研究冲刷条件下三筒基础水平承载特性,建立数值模型对模型试验结果进行验证与扩展,分析水平和弯矩荷载下,冲刷率e和相对筒间距S/D对极限承载力的影响,提出三筒基础极限承载力的冲刷修正系数dhe、dme的计算方法;采用固定荷载比方法,通过数值模型计算M-H加载条件下三筒基础的破坏包络线,分析冲刷率e和相对筒间距S/D对复合加载特性的影响,提出冲刷条件下三筒基础M-H破坏包络线公式。研究结果表明：冲刷条件下的三筒基础受水平和弯矩作用直至破坏的过程,经历弹性变形—塑性变形—失稳破坏3个阶段;三筒基础的水平极限承载力随冲刷率e的增大而下降,且下降速率逐渐增大,相同长径比的三筒基础的水平极限承载力随相对筒间距的减小而降低;随着冲刷率e的提高,三筒基础的M-H破坏包络线向内移动,随着相对筒间距S/D增大,归一化破坏包络线呈上凸的趋势。     

Modelling the drained response of bucket foundations for offshore wind turbines under general monotonic and cyclic loading

The response of bucket foundations on sand subjected to planar monotonic and cyclic loading is investigated in the paper. Thirteen monotonic and cyclic laboratory tests on a skirted footing model having a 0.3 m diameter and embedment ratio equal to 1 are presented. The loading regime reproduces the typical conditions of offshore wind turbines: very large cyclic overturning moment, large cyclic horizontal load and comparatively little, self-weight induced, vertical load. The experimental soil-foundation response is interpreted within the macro-element approach, using an existing analytical model, suitably modified to accommodate the footing embedment and the application of cyclic load. Details of the proposed model are provided together with evidences of its ability to reproduce the essential features of the experimentally observed behaviour. The results of the study aim at increasing the confidence in the use of the macro-element approach to predict the response of bucket foundations for offshore wind turbines, notably as the long-term accumulated displacements are concerned.     

Failure mechanisms of steep-faced geosynthetic-reinforced retaining walls subjected to toe scouring

Waterfront structures such as seawalls, dikes, and levees are frequently subjected to scouring at the toe of the slope, leading to deteriorated performance and increased failure potential. To this end, some model reinforced steep-faced slopes consisting of a two-dimensional backfill were brought to failure to explore the failure mechanisms of some geosynthetic-reinforced slopes subjected to simulated toe scouring. Results of model tests indicate that in the case of shallow scouring, a reinforcement length (L) increase from 0.4 to 1.0 H_t (H_t, total height of reinforced walls) significantly increases the tolerance against toe scouring-induced failures. In this case, a local bearing capacity failure of facing is the dominant failure mode. In the case of deep scouring, an increase in L beyond 0.7 H_t provides no additional tolerance against toe scouring because the ultimate state is always associated with a global circular sliding in the unreinforced zone. Experimental values of the lateral pressure coefficient (K_t) converted from the measured reinforcement forces indicate that reinforcement forces consistently increase in response to toe scouring up to the final collapsing state and that the reinforcement forces for L?=?1.0 H_t mobilize more effectively than those for L?=?0.7 H_t.     

Undrained Bearing Capacity of Suction Caissons for Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations by Numerical Limit Analysis

Determining the ultimate capacity of suction caissons in response to combined vertical, horizontal, and moment loading is essential for their design as foundations for offshore wind turbines. However, the method implemented for stability analysis is quite limited. Numerical limit analysis has an advantage over traditional limit equilibrium methods and nonlinear finite element methods in this case because upper and lower bounds can be achieved to ensure that the exact ultimate capacity of the caisson falls within the appropriate range. This article presents theories related to numerical limit analysis. Simulations are conducted for centrifuge model tests, the findings of which reveal the ability of numerical limit analysis to deal with the inclined pullout capacity of suction caissons. Finally, this article proposes an estimation of the ultimate capacity of a 3.5 MW offshore wind turbine foundation on normally consolidated clay based on the typical environmental parameters of Bothkennar, Scotland. Undrained failure envelopes and safety factors are obtained for suction caissons with different embedment ratios. Failure mechanisms, plastic zones, clay stress distributions, and the influence of the skin friction coefficients of caissons are discussed in detail.     

Dynamic Analysis of A 5-MW Tripod Offshore Wind Turbine by Considering Fluid–Structure Interaction

Fixed offshore wind turbines usually have large underwater supporting structures.The fluid influences the dynamic characteristics of the structure system.The dynamic model of a 5-MW tripod offshore wind turbine considering the pile–soil system and fluid structure interaction(FSI) is established,and the structural modes in air and in water are obtained by use of ANSYS.By comparing low-order natural frequencies and mode shapes,the influence of sea water on the free vibration characteristics of offshore wind turbine is analyzed.On basis of the above work,seismic responses under excitation by El-Centro waves are calculated by the time-history analysis method.The results reveal that the dynamic responses such as the lateral displacement of the foundation and the section bending moment of the tubular piles increase substantially under the influence of the added-mass and hydrodynamic pressure of sea water.The method and conclusions presented in this paper can provide a theoretical reference for structure design and analysis of offshore wind turbines fixed in deep seawater.     

考虑预载固结效应的海底浅基础承载力包络面演化规律研究

由于预载下土体固结,海底浅基础的承载力会随作业时间的增加而改变,其时变效应评估困难。基于修正剑桥模型,采用水土耦合有限元方法研究了预载作用下浅基础在正常固结黏土海床中承载力破坏包络面的时变规律。在验证数值模型准确性后,通过位移探针测试获取复合加载模式下浅基础的破坏包络面,揭示了预载和固结程度对基础承载力和破坏包络面的影响,给出了预载作用下浅基础承载力包络面计算方法。结果表明：随着预载比增加,固结单轴承载力呈现线性增长,固结承载力增幅在水平向最大;部分固结承载力相对增幅与预载比无关,而随固结度变化;破坏包络面形状由预载比控制,而包络面大小由预载比和固结度共同控制。研究结果可为海洋浅基础的时变承载力评估提供参考依据。     

海上风电大直径加翼桩水平承载性能研究

为改善海上风电大直径钢管桩的水平承载性能,基于ABAQUS有限元软件对单桩改进形式的加翼桩结构进行了系统研究,计算分析了软黏土地基中加翼桩在水平荷载作用下桩身弯矩、应力、位移、桩身泥面处倾斜率和极限承载力,研究了加翼桩面积、形状、埋深和刚度等翼板参数对加翼桩水平承载性能的影响规律,根据加翼桩的桩-土作用机理,参考现行规范模式提出适用于软黏土地基大直径钢管桩的P-Y曲线。研究结果表明,加翼桩通过在泥面处设置翼板可降低桩基泥面处倾斜率50%、提高桩基极限承载力60%以上,加翼桩水平承载性能明显优于单桩。     

海上风电嵌岩桩水平抗力影响因素研究

桩基础是我国海上风电工程中应用最为广泛的基础形式,其中嵌岩桩因其施工难度大,承载力高备受关注。与其他类型的桩基础不同,嵌岩桩的水平承载力不仅受到围岩强度的影响,更与其成桩质量与灌浆材料的强度相关。采用有限元方法分析了嵌岩深度、桩基直径与壁厚、桩身倾斜度等多种因素对嵌岩桩水平承载力的影响,提出了确定嵌岩桩水平极限抗力的标准。研究表明：桩与围岩间的灌浆环会先于桩身发生破坏,因此可将灌浆环受拉破坏作为判断嵌岩桩达到水平极限承载力的标准;桩身倾斜度对嵌岩桩的水平极限承载力影响较大,直径和壁厚的增加,均能提高桩基的水平承载力。     

上软下硬黏土中四筒基础抗倾覆承载特性研究

随着海上风电向深远海发展,四筒基础发展潜力巨大。中国大多数海域存在较厚的上覆软土层,对基础抗倾覆承载能力有着重大影响。采用有限元软件ABAQUS建立上软下硬分层黏土模型,对四筒基础在单向水平荷载和弯矩荷载作用下的承载力特性进行研究。研究结果表明：四筒基础在水平、弯矩荷载作用下主要运动模式为转动,对边加载时,转动轴靠近受压筒且随着软土层厚度增加不断靠近四筒基础平面中心,但变化幅度较小;水平和弯矩极限承载力对于不同的筒间距和长径比具有相同的变化趋势,当软土层厚度h/筒高L≤3/4时,水平和弯矩承载力随着软土层厚度的增加近似线性降低,当h/L＞3/4后,承载力降低速率明显减小。     

Centrifuge modelling of lateral loading behaviour of a “semi-rigid” Mono-pile in soft clay

Abstract

Mono-pile foundations have been widely used for offshore wind turbines principally due to their convenient construction and cost-effective nature. So far, little attention has been paid to large diameter “semi-rigid” piles that have distinct behaviours from flexible or ideally rigid piles. This paper presents a series of centrifuge model tests to study the deforming and bearing characteristics of a 5.9 dia. semi-rigid pile under lateral loadings in kaolin clay. For monotonic loading, a modified p–y curve analysis model considering rotational soil flow near the rotation centre of pile was proposed, highlighting the limitation of classic plane-strain based plasticity models to evaluate the ultimate lateral pile-soil resistance. For cyclic loading, a strong correlation between the degree of soil degradation and cyclic load amplitude was identified. Besides, a degradation factor model, accounting for various cyclic stress levels and soil depths, was proposed, which can be used to assess the accumulative displacement of semi-rigid piles under cyclic loadings in soft clay.