Numerical analysis of helical pile foundations for offshore wind turbines
File(s)
OA Location
Author(s)
Livanidou, Alkmini-Chara
Georgiadis, Konstantinos
Chaloulos, Yannis K
Taborda, David
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Many countries, including the EU member states and the US, have legislated a transition from traditional fuels to renewable energy sources, with offshore wind power expected to play a key role in this shift. Given that foundation type accounts for approximately 30% of the total cost, their selection and installation are crucial decisions. Monopiles are currently the most commonly used foundation type, representing about 80% of existing Offshore Wind Turbines (OWT) foundations. However, installing them significantly disturbs the seabed and presents difficulties in deeper waters, increasing interest in alternative foundation solutions. This study examines helical piles as a more economical and lower-footprint option compared to conventional piles. Their response in sand under monotonic lateral loading is investigated through advanced three-dimensional numerical analyses employing state-of-the-art constitutive models and special interface elements. A bespoke script extracts p-y curves from the three-dimensional analysis. A series of parametric analyses were performed to examine the influence of the number and location of helices and to develop design recommendations for optimized OWT foundations. The analyses consider three relative densities (Dr) of Dunkirk sand.
Date Issued
2026-06-14
Date Acceptance
2026-06-14
Citation
Proceedings of the 21st ICSMGE, 2026, pp.3451-3454
ISBN
978-3-9503898-4-5
Publisher
ÖGG, Austrian Society for Geomechanics
Start Page
3451
End Page
3454
Journal / Book Title
Proceedings of the 21st ICSMGE
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Author(s).
Source
ICSMGE 2026
Publication Status
Published
Start Date
2026-06-14
Finish Date
2026-06-19
Coverage Spatial
Vienna, Austria