Numerical and experimental investigations on the deformations of monopile foundations

Monopiles are the preferred foundation type in many offshore wind projects. Measurements on installed foundations and some published studies indicate that current design methodologies probably underestimate stiffness and should therefore be adjusted to account for large diameter and installation effects. This paper presents initial test results from large scale pile tests and a numerical model which is developed to reflect the mechanical behaviour of the soil accurately to reproduce measured pile response. The constitutive model is presented as well as its calibration, based on a limited amount of laboratory tests. Finally, a first comparison of numerical and measured results is shown.