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

Liqun Fang; Michael Brown; Marco Previtali; Matteo Ciantia; Wei Wang

doi:10.53243/ISFOG2025-329

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

Liqun Fang, Michael Brown, Marco Previtali, Matteo Ciantia, Wei Wang

Civil Engineering

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

5 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS
Editors	C. N. Abadie, Z. Li, M. Blanc, L. Thorel
Publisher	International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
Pages	1151-1156
ISBN (Print)	9782857827580
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.53243/ISFOG2025-329
Publication status	Published - 9 Jun 2025
Event	5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS 2025 - Nantes, France Duration: 9 Jun 2025 → 13 Jun 2025 Conference number: 5 https://www.issmge.org/publications/review-platform/conferences/isfog2025

Conference

Conference	5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS 2025
Abbreviated title	ISFOG 2025
Country/Territory	France
City	Nantes
Period	9/06/25 → 13/06/25
Internet address	https://www.issmge.org/publications/review-platform/conferences/isfog2025

Keywords

Vibration
Renewable energy
Monopiles
Discrete element method
Sand

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Civil and Structural Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.53243/ISFOG2025-329Licence: Other

Final Published VersionFinal published version, 377 KBLicence: Other

3 Conference contribution

3D DEM simulation of plain and rotary axial jacking of piles
Cerfontaine, B. (Lead / Corresponding author), Ciantia, M., Brown, M., Sharif, Y. & White, D., 2025, Proceedings of the 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS. Abadie, C. N., Li, Z., Blanc, M. & Thorel, L. (eds.). International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 9 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Open Access
File
13 Downloads (Pure)
A 1g model experimental study on the effects of installation parameters on vibratory driving performance of monopiles
Fang, L., Brown, M., Davidson, C., Wang, W. & Sharif, Y., Oct 2024, Proceedings of the 5th ECPMG 2024: 5th European Conference on Modelling in Geotechnics. Cabrera, M. A., van Eekelen, S. J. M. & Bezuijen, A. (eds.). International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 7 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Open Access
File
113 Downloads (Pure)
Decommissioning of offshore piles using vibration
Davidson, C., Brown, M., Brennan, A. & Knappett, J., 2017, Proceedings of the 27th International Ocean and Polar Engineering Conference, ISOPE 2017. Chung, J. S. & Wang, H. H. (eds.). United States: International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers, Vol. 2. p. 666-673 8 p. (Proceedings of the International Ocean and Polar Engineering Conference; vol. 2).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Open Access
File

Cite this

Fang, L., Brown, M., Previtali, M., Ciantia, M., & Wang, W. (2025). Optimisation of tensile capacity of vibro-installed floating offshore anchor piles using DEM simulation. In C. N. Abadie, Z. Li, M. Blanc, & L. Thorel (Eds.), Proceedings of the 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS (pp. 1151-1156). International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.53243/ISFOG2025-329

Fang, Liqun ; Brown, Michael ; Previtali, Marco et al. / Optimisation of tensile capacity of vibro-installed floating offshore anchor piles using DEM simulation. Proceedings of the 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS. editor / C. N. Abadie ; Z. Li ; M. Blanc ; L. Thorel. International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 2025. pp. 1151-1156

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title = "Optimisation of tensile capacity of vibro-installed floating offshore anchor piles using DEM simulation",

abstract = "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.",

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author = "Liqun Fang and Michael Brown and Marco Previtali and Matteo Ciantia and Wei Wang",

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Fang, L , Brown, M, Previtali, M, Ciantia, M & Wang, W 2025, Optimisation of tensile capacity of vibro-installed floating offshore anchor piles using DEM simulation. in CN Abadie, Z Li, M Blanc & L Thorel (eds), Proceedings of the 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS. International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, pp. 1151-1156, 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS 2025, Nantes, France, 9/06/25. https://doi.org/10.53243/ISFOG2025-329

Optimisation of tensile capacity of vibro-installed floating offshore anchor piles using DEM simulation. / Fang, Liqun ; Brown, Michael; Previtali, Marco et al.
Proceedings of the 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS. ed. / C. N. Abadie; Z. Li; M. Blanc; L. Thorel. International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 2025. p. 1151-1156.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Optimisation of tensile capacity of vibro-installed floating offshore anchor piles using DEM simulation

AU - Fang, Liqun

AU - Brown, Michael

AU - Previtali, Marco

AU - Ciantia, Matteo

AU - Wang, Wei

N1 - Conference code: 5

PY - 2025/6/9

Y1 - 2025/6/9

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Vibration

KW - Renewable energy

KW - Monopiles

KW - Discrete element method

KW - Sand

U2 - 10.53243/ISFOG2025-329

DO - 10.53243/ISFOG2025-329

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9782857827580

SP - 1151

EP - 1156

BT - Proceedings of the 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS

A2 - Abadie, C. N.

A2 - Li, Z.

A2 - Blanc, M.

A2 - Thorel, L.

PB - International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering

T2 - 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS 2025

Y2 - 9 June 2025 through 13 June 2025

ER -

Fang L , Brown M, Previtali M, Ciantia M, Wang W. Optimisation of tensile capacity of vibro-installed floating offshore anchor piles using DEM simulation. In Abadie CN, Li Z, Blanc M, Thorel L, editors, Proceedings of the 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON FRONTIERS IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICS. International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. 2025. p. 1151-1156 doi: 10.53243/ISFOG2025-329

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

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

3D DEM simulation of plain and rotary axial jacking of piles

A 1g model experimental study on the effects of installation parameters on vibratory driving performance of monopiles

Decommissioning of offshore piles using vibration

Cite this