Permanent accumulated rotation of offshore wind turbine monopile due to typhoon-induced cyclic loading

• Published in: Marine structures 2021-11, Vol.80, p.103079, Article 103079
• Main Authors: Ma, Hongwang, Lu, Zhiyue, Li, Yutao, Chen, Chen, Yang, Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulated rotation; Cyclic loading; Cyclic loads; Deformation; Deformation effects; Hurricanes; Monopile foundation; Offshore; Offshore energy sources; Offshore operations; Offshore wind turbine; Piles; Rotation; Sand; Scale models; Service life; Turbine engines; Turbines; Typhoon; Typhoons; Water depth; Wind power; Wind turbines
• ISSN: 0951-8339; 1873-4170
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marstruc.2021.103079

In order to study the effect of typhoons on the accumulated deformation of monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines, a series of 1-g laboratory model tests with a geometrical scale of 1:100 were carried out. Through the horizontal static and cyclic loading tests of a stiff pile embedded in a medium dense sand deposit, the relationship between the accumulated rotation of the pile and the number of loading cycles under different loading conditions was obtained. The results show that the final accumulated rotation is mainly caused by the typhoon load series and is not affected by the loading sequence. Based on these results, a method is presented to predict the accumulated rotation of the monopile foundation during its service life, and a case study of a 6 MW wind turbine supported by a monopile at a water depth of 30 m in sand is conducted by using the method. The results show that the permanent accumulated rotation of the monopile throughout the design life is mainly contributed by cyclic loading induced by typhoons and the contribution of cyclic loading with small amplitudes can be ignored. •A series of model tests have been carried out to investigate the impact of typhoons on the accumulated deformation of monopile of offshore wind turbines.•Typhoon loads can cause a sharp rise in the accumulated rotation, and the final accumulated rotation is mainly caused by the typhoon load series.•The loading sequence has little effect on the accumulated rotation of the monopile.•The permanent accumulated rotation of the monopile throughout the design life is mainly contributed by cyclic loading induced by typhoons.