Behavior of Pile Group with Elevated Cap Subjected to Cyclic Lateral Loads

The pile group with elevated cap is widely used as foundation of offshore structures such as turbines, power transmission towers and bridge piers, and understanding its behavior under cyclic lateral loads induced by waves, tide water and winds, is of great importance to designing. A large-scale model test on 3×3 pile group with elevated cap subjected to cyclic lateral loads was performed in saturated silts. The preparation and implementation of the test is presented. Steel pipes with the outer diameter of 114 mm, thickness of 4.5 mm, and length of 6 m were employed as model piles. The pile group was cyclic loaded in a multi-stage sequence with the lateral displacement controlled. In addition, a single pile test was also conducted at the same site for comparison. The displacement of the pile cap, the internal forces of individual piles, and the horizontal stiffness of the pile group are presented and discussed in detail. The results indicate that the lateral cyclic loads have a greater impact on pile group than that on a single pile, and give rise to the significant plastic strain in the soil around piles. The lateral loads carried by each row of piles within the group would be redistributed with loading cycles. The lateral stiffness of the pile group decreases gradually with cycles and broadly presents three different degradation patterns in the test. Significant axial forces were measured out in some piles within the group, owing to the strong restraint provided by the cap, and finally lead to a large settlement of the pile group. These findings can be referred for foundation designing of offshore structures.     

港珠澳大桥青州航道桥桥墩基础冲刷试验研究

桥墩基础冲刷是桥梁毁坏的重要因素,是桥梁基础设计的关键指标之一。目前国内外对于桥墩基础在复杂动力条件下冲刷深度的研究常采用物理模型试验方法,利用正态系列模型方法,在波流水槽中研究了水流、潮流和波流共同作用下青州航道桥索塔基础周围流态变化和局部冲刷特征。研究结果表明,桥墩最大冲刷深度和冲淤范围与水流流速、桥墩轴线与水流夹角和波浪等因素有关;在潮流最大流速和恒定流流速一致情况下,桥墩局部冲刷深度达到平衡后,将会达到与恒定流基本一致的最大冲深;波流共同作用下的最大冲刷深度比恒定流增加10%左右。设计桥墩形状在100年一遇水流和波浪共同作用下桥墩基础局部最大冲刷深度为13.7 m。     

Experiment Study of Dynamics Response for Wind Turbine System of Floating Foundation

The floating foundation is designed to support a 1.5 MW wind turbine in 30 m water depth. With consideration of the viscous damping of foundation and heave plates, the amplitude-frequency response characteristics of the foundation are studied. By taking into account the elastic effect of blades and tower, the classic quasi-steady blade-element/momentum (BEM) theory is used to calculate the aerodynamic elastic loads. A coupled dynamic model of the turbine-foundation- mooring lines is established to calculate the motion response of floating foundation under Kaimal wind spectrum and regular wave by using the FAST codes. The model experiment is carried out to test damping characteristics and natural motion behaviors of the wind turbine system. The dynamics response is tested by considering only waves and the joint action of wind and waves. It is shown that the wind turbine system can avoid resonances under the action of wind and waves. In addition, the heave motion of the floating foundation is induced by waves and the surge motion is induced by wind. The action of wind and waves is of significance for pitch.     

畸形波作用下半潜浮式风机系泊失效停机响应分析

半潜浮式风机逐渐在深海风电开发中受到关注,建立风机、平台与系泊结构耦合数值计算模型,通过FAST与AQWA链接进行风机塔基荷载及平台运动响应相互耦合传递,基于随机波与极限波组合模型生成畸形波时程序列,进行半潜浮式风机系泊失效全过程时域模拟计算分析,得出系泊锚链张力、风机、塔筒和平台运动时程响应,探究系泊失效、风机停机和叶片变桨速率对浮式风机平台系泊结构动力响应的影响。结果表明：畸形波作用下浮式平台和系泊结构动力响应显著,系泊失效导致塔基剪力增加,平台纵荡和纵摇运动响应显著增大;风机停机会引起系泊锚链张力显著减小,转子推力、塔基剪力和叶尖挥舞位移响应逐渐衰减,平台纵荡、纵摇和横摇运动响应显著减小;随着叶片变桨速率增加,风机转子推力和塔基剪力波动幅值增大。     

Comparison of wave load effects on a TLP wind turbine by using computational fluid dynamics and potential flow theory approaches

Tension Leg Platform (TLP) is one of the concepts which shows promising results during initial studies to carry floating wind turbines. One of the concerns regarding tension leg platform wind turbines (TLPWTs) is the high natural frequencies of the structure that may be excited by nonlinear waves loads. Since Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models are capable of capturing nonlinear wave loads, they can lead to better insight about this concern. In the current study, a CFD model based on immersed boundary method, in combination with a two-body structural model of TLPWT is developed to study wave induced responses of TLPWT in deep water. The results are compared with the results of a potential flow theory-finite element software, SIMO-RIFLEX (SR). First, the CFD based model is described and the potential flow theory based model is briefly introduced. Then, a grid sensitivity study is performed and free decay tests are simulated to determine the natural frequencies of different motion modes of the TLPWT. The responses of the TLPWT to regular waves are studied, and the effects of wave height are investigated. For the studied wave heights which vary from small to medium amplitude (wave height over wavelength less than 0.071), the results predicted by the CFD based model are generally in good agreement with the potential flow theory based model. The only considerable difference is the TLPWT mean surge motion which is predicted higher by the CFD model, possibly because of considering the nonlinear effects of the waves loads and applying these loads at the TLPWT instantaneous position in the CFD model. This difference does not considerably affect the important TLPWT design driving parameters such as tendons forces and tower base moment, since it only affects the mean dynamic position of TLPWT. In the current study, the incoming wave frequency is set such that third-harmonic wave frequency coincides with the first tower bending mode frequency. However, for the studied wave conditions a significant excitation of tower natural frequency is not observed. The high stiffness of tendons which results in linear pitch motion of TLPWT hull (less than 0.02 degrees) and tower (less than 0.25 degrees) can explain the limited excitement of the tower first bending mode. The good agreement between CFD and potential flow theory based results for small and medium amplitude waves gives confidence to the proposed CFD based model to be further used for hydrodynamic analysis of floating wind turbines in extreme ocean conditions.     

Behavior of Pile Groups under Lateral Load

Based on investigation and model tests, and in combination with the research work on group effect for pile groups under lateral loads relating to the code of fixed offshore platforms, a series of studies have been performed on the behavior and failure mechanism of laterally loaded pile groups, critical pile spacing inducing group effect, lateral bearing capacity of pile groups and its main influence factors, the stress-strain relationship for single piles and pile groups and so on. Some new laws about non-uniformity of load distribution in the longitudinal direction of pile groups and load-deflection (p - y) curves for pile groups have been discovered, and an empirical formula is presented in order to remedy the defect of current calculating methods at home and abroad. These results can be used for reference in the design of pile foundation under lateral loads.     

水平循环荷载下海上风电楔形单桩土体变形研究

海上风电工程主要受到风、波浪及洋流等产生的水平循环荷载作用,本文研究楔形单桩基础在水平循环荷载作用下的变形规律,并探讨不同循环荷载对变形规律产生的影响,以确保风电设施正常运行。通过数值模拟建立海上风电单桩-海床模型,考虑土体超孔隙水压力的演变规律及土体致密规律,土体采用UBC3D-PLM本构模型。本文重点讨论并分析在不同水平循环荷载作用下楔形单桩基础与等截面单桩基础的桩周土体位移、塑性应变及桩基累计转角位移之间的差异。研究结果表明：楔形结构会降低桩周土体位移及塑性应变,使得楔形单桩基础旋转中心位置更低,产生倾覆的可能更小,当循环荷载比为0.7时,累计转角位移能减少41.86%;循环荷载越大,楔形单桩基础水平受荷特性越好,累计位移减少量的增长率越高。研究成果可为今后海上风电基础的选择与设计提供参考。     

潮流作用下海上风电群桩基础局部冲刷与防护试验研究

海上风电基础局部冲刷会影响风电结构的稳定,对海上风电的安全运行至关重要。以四腿群桩导管架基础为研究对象,对潮流条件下基础局部冲刷开展试验研究。试验结果表明：0°水流条件下,最大冲刷深度为1.05倍桩径;45°水流条件下,最大冲刷深度为0.97倍桩径。并探索了新型蜂巢结构在群桩基础防冲刷中的应用,设计了蜂巢格室防护方案,发现在蜂巢防护情况下,两个流向作用于四腿群桩基础时最大冲刷深度仅为无防护情况下的27.3%和25.9%,表明蜂巢格室在海上风电基础的冲刷防护方面具有良好效果,在实际工程中具有较大的应用潜力。     

海底防沉板—桩复合基础承载特性数值分析

为了研究桩长对海底防沉板—桩复合基础在水平、弯矩和扭转荷载作用下承载特性的影响,以我国南海水深200 m的某工程实例为研究对象,利用Flac3D有限差分仿真软件建立了计算模型。研究了桩长为4 m、6 m和8 m的防沉板—桩复合基础在水平、弯矩和扭转荷载作用下的极限承载力和荷载传递机理。结果表明,桩长超过6 m时复合基础的水平承载力显著增长,在水平加载过程中,防沉板总是先达到极限状态而破坏,桩基础的贡献在加载后期体现,且桩长为4 m、8 m时,桩基础与防沉板的连接处弯矩最大;随着桩长的增加,复合基础的抗弯承载力大幅提高,桩基础对复合基础的抗弯承载力贡献增大,当桩长超过8 m,桩长的增加对提高复合基础的抗弯承载力意义不大;在弯矩加载过程中,桩长对于防沉板、桩基础的荷载分配有显著影响,桩长为4 m时,外荷载主要由防沉板承担,当桩长超过4 m时,外荷载主要由桩基础承担;当扭转荷载不超过2 100 k N·m时,防沉板承担主要荷载,直至防沉板达到极限状态而发生旋转,随后桩基础的承载力逐渐发挥;对于桩长为6 m、8 m的复合基础,其极限状态根据防沉板适用性准则确定。     

Shaft capacity of pre-bored grouted planted nodular pile under various overburden pressures in dense sand

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a series of model tests performed to study the shaft capacity of pre-bored grouted planted nodular (PGPN) pile in dense sand. The influence of the vertical overburden pressure on the shaft capacity of the PGPN pile is also investigated based on the test results. The test piles were equipped with strain gauges to measure the axial loads during the loading process, moreover, a foam plate was buried beneath pile tip to eliminate the influence of tip resistance on the shaft capacity. Some conclusions can be drawn based on the test results: the peak skin friction of PGPN pile increases with the increase of vertical overburden pressure applied on the foundation soil, while the rate of increase decreases with the increasing overburden pressure; the surface of the pile–soil interface of PGPN pile is relatively rough, and significant dilatant increase in lateral stress occurs during the loading process.     

台风对海上风电单桩基础累积变形影响试验研究

文中主要采用小比尺模型试验,研究了台风对海上风电单桩基础累积变形的影响。通过在模型槽中进行桩的水平静力和循环加载试验,得到了不同工况下桩的累积转角与循环加载次数之间的关系曲线。随后对曲线进行分析,拟合出无台风工况下累积转角的计算公式,然后运用叠加法,得出了有台风工况下累积转角的计算公式。试验结果表明,单独作用一种循环荷载时,桩的累积转角是循环次数的幂函数。台风引起的大幅值循环荷载会导致转角的陡升,且增加幅度与小幅值循环荷载的幅值负相关。当将台风荷载设置在加载过程的开头时,对于疲劳设计工况,台风荷载产生的累积转角占总的累积转角的99%以上,因而可以忽略小幅值循环荷载产生的累积转角,直接用台风荷载产生的累积转角代表桩的长期累积转角,实现简化设计。     

海上风电大直径单桩基础结构在渤海海冰环境下的抗冰性能研究

文章以大连庄河临近的渤海海域为例,基于SACS模型研究大直径单桩基础结构在渤海海冰环境下的抗冰性能。研究结果表明：在静冰力方面,根据不同规范推荐公式设计的大直径单桩基础材料的用量可相差约10%;在动冰力方面,在不同冰速和冰厚的组合工况下,低冰速和大冰厚作用下的大直径单桩基础结构更易产生持续振动。     

Development of the cyclic p–y curve for a single pile in sandy soil

Pile foundations that support transmission towers or offshore structures are dominantly subjected to cyclic lateral load induced by wind and waves. For a successful design, it is crucial to investigate the effect of cyclic lateral loads on the pile behavior that is loaded laterally. Although the p–y curve method is generally utilized to design the cyclic laterally loaded pile foundations, the effect of cyclic lateral loads on the pile has not been properly implemented with the p–y curve. This reflects a lack of consideration of the overall stiffness change in soil–pile interaction. To address this, a series of model pile tests were conducted in this study on a preinstalled aluminum flexible pile under various sandy soil conditions. The test results were used to investigate the effect of cyclic lateral loads on the p–y behavior. The cyclic p–y curve, which properly takes into account this effect, was developed as a hyperbolic function. Pseudo-static analysis was also conducted with the proposed cyclic p–y curve, which showed that it was able to properly simulate cyclic laterally loaded pile behavior in sandy soil.     

黏土中防沉板—桩复合基础地震反应特性研究

为了研究海底防沉板—桩复合基础在地震荷载作用下的动力反应特性,以我国南海深水工程实例为研究对象,利用Flac3D有限差分仿真软件建立了计算模型,土体采用Mohr-Coulomb本构模型,模型底部输入EL Centro地震波,对不同桩长的复合基础进行分析计算.在该特定工程背景下,研究结果表明:随着桩长的增加,防沉板顶部加速度放大系数呈减小趋势;地震荷载下,复合基础发生震陷,沉降量在地震波加速度峰值过后趋于稳定;当桩长为6m时,复合基础的水平振动程度和震陷量最小;由于桩基础把震动能量传输到深部土层中,复合基础周围土体的加速度响应值小于远场土体.在动力时域内,防沉板与桩连接处弯矩最大,需要在此处增设加固装置.     

An Improved Time Domain Approach for Analysis of Floating Bridges Based on Dynamic Finite Element Method and State-Space Model

The floating bridge bears the dead weight and live load with buoyancy, and has wide application prospect in deep-water transportation infrastructure. The structural analysis of floating bridge is challenging due to the complicated fluid-solid coupling effects of wind and wave. In this research, a novel time domain approach combining dynamic finite element method and state-space model (SSM) is established for the refined analysis of floating bridges. The dynamic coupled effects induced by wave excitation load, radiation load and buffeting load are carefully simulated. High-precision fitted SSMs for pontoons are established to enhance the calculation efficiency of hydrodynamic radiation forces in time domain. The dispersion relation is also introduced in the analysis model to appropriately consider the phase differences of wave loads on pontoons. The proposed approach is then employed to simulate the dynamic responses of a scaled floating bridge model which has been tested under real wind and wave loads in laboratory. The numerical results are found to agree well with the test data regarding the structural responses of floating bridge under the considered environmental conditions. The proposed time domain approach is considered to be accurate and effective in simulating the structural behaviors of floating bridge under typical environmental conditions.

     

扩底抗拔桩动态变形全过程承载特性模型试验研究

利用砂土中扩底抗拔桩的模型试验,研究从开始加载到破坏时扩底抗拔桩地基动态变形全过程的承载特性。试验结果表明:半模试验得到的极限荷载和破坏面均略小于全模试验结果,采用半模试验测量地基变形过程与破坏模式有明显优势,用半模试验代替全模试验是可行的;随着桩顶荷载的增加,扩大头上方的土体由压缩变形逐渐发展为局部的压缩—剪切破坏;扩大头对其上部的桩侧摩阻力有增强作用,对其下部的桩侧摩阻力有削弱作用;扩大头在工作荷载、极限荷载和破坏荷载作用时分担的荷载比例为15%~20%。     

浮式风力机若干特征动力学问题综述

总结浮式风力机类型及其对应的特征动力学问题,针对浮式风力机气动荷载、水动荷载的计算方法以及结构动力学、控制动力学典型问题进行论述。讨论了气动—水动—结构—伺服耦合分析的难点,重点分析了二阶波浪力、畸形波等非线性波浪荷载、流荷载及涡激运动对浮式风力机特征动力响应的影响。阐述了浮式风力机动力学研究的试验方法、数值仿真方法、样机测试方法,并对模型试验技术的相似理论、气动模型的实现和难点以及数值仿真的频域方法、时域方法和分析工具进行了归纳对比。研究表明：浮式风力机多场、多体耦合动力分析机理及相关技术仍不成熟,气动荷载、高阶非线性波浪荷载耦合模型的建立是动力学问题研究的重点,数值仿真及模型试验是浮式风力机动力响应研究的主要方法,样机测试技术的积累将促进设计标准的完善及浮式风电的产业化发展。     

深水铰接塔平台动力响应分析

将深水铰接塔平台顶部工作单元简化为集中质量,塔柱和浮力仓简化为均匀直杆,建立了铰接塔平台运动分析模型。考虑海流和波浪对平台的作用,应用Morison公式计算铰接塔平台瞬时位置所受水动力,依据拉格朗日原理建立了铰接塔平台的强非线性时变系数两自由度运动控制方程。文中工作为深水铰接塔平台动力响应分析奠定了基础。     

Self-expanded piles: A new approach to unconventional piles development

Abstract

In onshore and offshore fields of ocean engineering, piles are used as foundation systems for various structures. Piles are classified into different types depending on their materials, geometries, and particularly, installation methods, which have advantages or limitations. Companies and engineers have developed a new group of piles, because of necessity to improve their performance in terms of increasing the bearing capacity, reducing impacts of traditional installation procedures, implementing by low- torque power equipment, and utilizing them in widely different ground conditions, including in a marine environment. In the present study, three different models of a new pile with an expander body are introduced to increase the shaft and pile-toe diameters and its self-expansion in the embedment depth under the titles of the Bubble pile (BP), Self-Expanded pile (SEP) and Wing pile (WP). The main subject of this research is to achieve increased bearing capacity, reduced installation effects, and decreased required installation torque. The frustum-confining vessel of Amirkabir University of Technology (FCV-AUT) was employed for this purpose. Up to 14 axial compressive and tensile load tests were carried out on different model piles on sand collected from Anzali shore located on the northern coast of Caspian Sea in Iran, with relative densities of 45% to 50% within FCV-AUT. Comparing the performance of introduced pile with traditional pile corresponding to the same characteristics, the results indicated a significant increase in the axial bearing capacity and reduced disturbance effect of the pile. Also, a lower installation torque of the SE pile was required compared to the helical pile. The test results also demonstrated that the new pile could resist considerable compressive and uplift loads, and could be a possible alternative to traditional piles in the onshore sector.     

有限元法在桩靴承载力计算中的应用

自升式钻井平台插桩是地基土在桩靴荷载作用下发生连续的塑性破坏的动态过程,当地基极限承载力等于桩靴荷载时插桩完成。经典土力学极限承载力理论对土体潜在滑动面做了假设,无法有效分析土体内部的破坏过程。本研究应用有限元法（FEM ）对插桩过程进行了模拟,得到地基土的破坏机制以及中间荷载下土体的应力、应变情况,通过和各理论公式计算的极限承载力进行对比分析,分析影响地基极限承载力的因素。研究表明,基础宽度与硬土层厚度的比值 B/H越大,下卧软土层越容易发生塑性破坏,极限承载力明显下降,当B/H＜0．286时,可以忽略下卧软土层对地基承载力的影响。