Numerical validation of monopile loading test for wind turbine foundation using Plaxis 3-D

Abstract EN

This paper presents the verification of a three-dimensional finite element model of full-scale field monopile tests for offshore wind turbine foundations.

the results from numerical modeling using PLAXIS 3-D are verified against previously published measured data obtained from optical fiber sensors installed on the internal steel surface of a monopile.

the field tests were carried out at a wind farm 200 km from shanghai and 25 km offshore in the east china sea.

both vertical and horizontal pile load tests were performed separately on the top of the monopile to investigate soil-pile interaction and the pile behavior for the proposed offshore wind farm.

the soil is modeled using an elastic – perfectly plastic Mohr-Columb model, while the monopile is modeled using a linear elastic mode.

the measured and calculated vertical and horizontal movements, and vertical and horizontal loads along the pile depth are compared.

the results of the numerical analysis using the three-dimensional finite element program PLAXIS 3-D are in good agreement with the results of both vertical and horizontal pile loading stages measured from field test results, indicating that the proposed model is suitable for modeling the behavior of axially and laterally loaded monopiles.