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Dynamic Stiffness of Horizonally Vibrating Suction Caissons
Dynamic Stiffness of Horizonally Vibrating Suction Caissons
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C. Latini
Civil Engineering Department, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark,
chila@byg.dtu.dk
V. Zania
Civil Engineering Department, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark,
M. Cisternino
Civil Engineering Department, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark,
ABSTRACT
The promising potential for offshore wind market is on developing wind farms in deeper waters
with bigger turbines. In deeper waters the design foundation configuration may consist of jacket
structures supported by floating piles or by suction caissons. Taking the soil-structure interaction
effects into consideration requires the prior estimation of the dynamic impedances of the
foundation. Even though numerous studies exist for piles, only limited number of publications can
be found for suction caissons subjected to dynamic loads. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to
examine the dynamic response of this type of foundation using the finite element method (FEM) to
account for the interaction with the soil. 3D numerical models for both the soil and the suction
caisson are formulated in a frequency domain. The response of the soil surrounding the
foundation is considered linear viscoelastic with hysteretic type damping. In addition, non-
reflective boundaries are included in the model. Two different soil profiles are presented, one
when the rigid bedrock is set close to the seabed and the other one when it is far away.
The dynamic impedances at the top of the foundation are determined and compared to existing
analytical solutions suggested for piles. Relatively good agreement has been achieved comparing
the numerical results with the analytical solutions. Then, the effect of the soil layer shear wave
velocity on the dynamic stiffness coefficients is analysed. The results have indicated that
increasing the stiffness of the soil stratum the dynamic impedances grow, while the damping
reduces in the frequency range investigated.
floating piles or with suction caissons. In the by Latini et al. (2015). The effect of the
past, suction caissons have been deployed as stiffness of the soil on the soil-caisson system
anchors or as foundations for offshore response is further discussed.
platforms. According to Houlsby et al.
(2005), suction caissons can be adopted as 2 METHODOLOGY
offshore wind turbine foundations embedded
in suitable soil conditions and especially for 3D finite element models have been
deeper waters installation, of water depth of developed to investigate the dynamic
approximately up to 40m. impedances of the suction caisson in the
Suction caissons differ from other foundation commercial software ABAQUS (Simulia,
types such as piles, regarding the installation 2013). The numerical models account for the
procedure applied offshore and the geometric following hypotheses: 1) linear elastic
properties including the rigid cap and the isotropic behaviour of the suction caisson; 2)
lateral flexibility (with slenderness ratio linear viscoelastic isotropic behaviour of soil
lower than 4). Contrary to offshore pile with hysteretic type damping and 3) perfect
driving, heavy duty equipment is not required contact between the foundation and the soil
in the process of suction caisson installation, during the analysis.
which is materialized by using self-weight Due to the symmetry of the problem, only
and suction as the driving forces (Byrne and half of the foundation and the surrounding
Houlsby, 2006). This becomes a considerable soil are taken into account. The suction
advantage in the case of deep water caisson consists of steel with diameter d=5m,
installations. skirt length H=10m, Young’s modulus Ep =
In the literature the problem of the dynamic 210 GPa and Poisson’s ratio ν=0.35. The
soil-pile interaction has been extensively foundation skirt and the cap of the caisson
investigated. Considering only the studies for have respectively thickness of tskirt=d/100 and
linear elastic soil layer, they can be briefly tcap=5tskirt.
categorized into analytical solutions (Novak Three different suction caisson modelling
and Nogami, 1977; Mylonakis, 2001; Nozoe approaches are presented: 1) shell pile, where
et al., 1985; Latini et al., 2015) and numerical the foundation is modelled by shell; 2)
finite element solutions (Velez et al., 1983; caisson with cap; and 3) equivalent solid pile,
Gazetas, 1984). On the other hand, the for which equivalent material properties are
dynamic response of suction caissons applied to match the bending stiffness.
received less attention (Liingaard, 2006). In The soil surrounding the foundation has
the work of Liingaard (2006) the dynamic hysteretic type damping of ζ=5.0% and
stiffness coefficients were determined, constant profile of shear wave velocity
considering linear viscoelastic soil and Vs=250-400m/s. Hexahedral elements are
modelling the suction caisson using a used to discretize the soil domain of diameter
coupled BE/FE model in homogeneous 24d and height Hs=6d=30m. Infinite elements
halfspace comparing the obtained results with are placed at the boundaries in order to model
analytical solutions for surface foundations. the far field soil and avoid spurious
The purpose of the current study is to reflection. The soil and the foundation skirt
investigate the dynamic response of suction and the caisson cap are tied together in order
caissons for the estimation of the dynamic to satisfy the displacement compatibility.
stiffness and damping coefficients with Steady state linearized response of the model
respect to the frequency. Therefore, 3D FE subject to harmonic excitation in the
models were developed and the dynamic frequency domain is performed. The dynamic
impedances to lateral loading were estimated. impedances Ksu, Ksθ, Kmu and Kmθ at the level
The results of the numerical models have of the pile head are then calculated as shear
been compared respectively with the rigorous forces, S, and moments, M, when the head of
analytical solution of soil-end bearing pile the suction caisson is subjected to unit
vibration by Novak et al. (1977) and the displacement, u, and rotation, θ. The mesh
analytical solution proposed for floating piles size needs to be small enough to capture the
stress wave accurately. A mesh size of at stiffness of the soil on the soil-caisson system
least 10 to 20 elements per wave length is response is further discussed, by considering
assumed a good approximation for the stiffer soil formation.
frequency range of interest, including up to Soil profile 1 Soil profile 2
the third eigenfrequency of the soil layer α
0=5/2π. Note that α0 is a dimensionless
frequency related to the eigenfrequency of
the soil layer, since it is given as the product
of the wave number and the height of the soil
layer:
𝜔𝐻𝑠
𝛼0 = (1)
𝑉𝑠
real(K )/ real(K0)
part of the dynamic impedances are shown. A 0,90
2(1−𝜈) 0,50
0=1/2πη, where 𝜂 = √ 1−2𝜈 , which is mainly 0 2 4 6 8
α0=ωHs/Vs
observed for the translational and rocking
1,2
component; whereas the cross coupling
coefficient is characterized by an increase of 2ζSθ
1
stiffness at the same normalized frequency.
0,8
imag(K)/real(K)
0,80
real(K )/ real(K0)
0,4
0,60
0,2
Novak et al.
0,40 (1977)
Caisson with cap 0
0 2 4 6 8
0,20 Shell pile α0=ωHs/Vs
Solid equivalent
0,00
pile Figure 4 Variation of the coupling stiffness and
0 2 4 6 8 damping coefficients with respect to the
α0=ωHs/Vs dimensionless frequency for profile 1.
2,5 On the contrary, in the high frequency range
2ζSu the solid equivalent pile shows a softer
2 behavior with monotonically decreasing
imag(K)/real(K)
0
0 2 4 6 8
α0=ωHs/Vs
1,05
KMθ
1,00
real(K )/ real(K0)
0,95
Shell pile
0,80
0 2 4 6 8 Figure 6 Displacement contour plot illustrating
α0=ωHs/Vs the presence of Rayleigh wave in the soil within
the caisson.
0,35 The imaginary part of the dynamic
2ζMθ component of the dynamic impedances, is
0,3
associated with the generated damping due to
0,25 soil-caisson interaction. The radiation
imag(K)/real(K)
First the static stiffness coefficients were Figure 7 Variation of the translational stiffness
estimated and the results are presented in and damping coefficients with respect to the
Table 2. dimensionless frequency for profile 2.
Table 2 Static suction caisson stiffness obtained While, it seems that the coupling and the
from the numerical models and the analytical rocking stiffness terms are less sensitive to
solution of Latini et al. (2015) for Profile 2.
the 1st vertical resonance.
Ksu Ksθ Kmθ
[kN] [kN] [kNm] KSθ
1,20
Caisson 3.220E+6 -9.237E+6 9.608E+7
Solid eq. 3.833E+6 -1.279E+7 1.191E+8 1,10
pile
real(K )/ real(K0)
Latini et 4.288E+6 -1.529E+7 1.339E+8 1,00
al. (2015)
0,90
The static stiffness coefficients of the solid 0,80
equivalent pile are slight higher than those of
the caisson model. The analytical solution 0,70
suggests similar values to those obtained
0,60
from the numerical models. 0 2 4 6 8
In Figures 7, 8 and 9, the real (Ksu, Ksθ, and α0=ωHs/Vs
Kmθ) and the imaginary (2ζsu, 2ζsθ, and 2ζmθ)
parts of the dynamic impedances are
presented. A decrease of stiffness is marked 2
after the 1st and 2nd horizontal 1,8 2ζSθ
eigenfrequencies (π/2 and 3π/2 respectively) 1,6
and the 1st vertical eigenfrequency of the soil 1,4
imag(K)/real(K)
1,05
Caisson 0,4
Solid equivalent pile 0,2
real(K )/ real(K0)
1,00
0
0,95
0 2 4 6 8
0,90 α0=ωHs/Vs
0,85 Figure 8 Variation of the coupling stiffness and
0,80 damping coefficients with respect to the
0,75 dimensionless frequency for profile 2.
0,70 In addition, they are characterized of an
0 2 4 6 8
increase of stiffness approaching the 3rd
α0=ωHs/Vs
eigenfrequency of the soil layer (α0=5/2π).
2
It is evident from the graphs that the dynamic
1,8 2ζSu response of the caisson is similar to the one
1,6
of the solid equivalent pile, clearly for the
1,4
translational and the rocking stiffness
imag(K)/real(K)
1,2
components. Furthermore, the analytical
1
solution shows good agreement with the
0,8
numerical results up to 𝛼0 = 5.
0,6
The imaginary part of the dynamic
0,4
component is also shown in Figures 7, 8 and
0,2 9. The radiation damping exhibits a step
0 variation in the frequency range, where the
0 2 4 6 8
α0=ωHs/Vs slope changes after each eigenfrequency of
real(K )/ real(K0)
Numerical model-Vs=400m/s
compared to the caisson.
1,15 1
KMθ
0,9
1,10
0,8
real(K )/ real(K0)
1,05
0,7
1,00 0,6
0 2 4 6 8
0,95 α0=ωHs/Vs
0,90
2ζsu
1,2
0,85
1
0 2 4 6 8
α0=ωHs/Vs
imag(K )/ real(K)
0,8
0,5
0,6
0,45 2ζMθ
0,4 0,4
0,35
imag(K)/real(K)
0,2
0,3
0
0,25 0 2 4 6 8
0,2 α0=ωHs/Vs
0,15 Figure 10 Variation of the translational stiffness
0,1 and damping coefficients with respect to the
0,05 dimensionless frequency. Effect of the soil
0
stiffness on the real component and the imaginary
0 2 4 6 8 component.
α0=ωHs/Vs The same values as in the reference case are
Figure 9 Variation of the rocking stiffness and kept for the height of the foundation and the
damping coefficients with respect to the soil layer. Slightly scattered results are
dimensionless frequency for profile 2. obtained by increasing the shear wave
In Figure 10, 11 and 12 the real (Ksu, Ksθ, and velocity of the soil layer. In addition, the
Kmθ) and the imaginary (2ζsu, 2ζsθ, and 2ζmθ) drop of stiffness recorded at the first
parts of the dynamic impedances are eigenfrequency of the soil layer is slightly
presented for different values of the shear more marked for medium soil profiles
wave velocity of the soil layer (Vs=250- (Vs=250m/s). Moreover, it is noticed that the
400m/s). cross coupling and rocking stiffness
coefficients exhibit higher values than the
corresponding static component at higher
frequencies.
KSθ 0,5
2ζmθ
1,40
0,45
1,30
0,4
imag(K )/ real(K)
1,20 0,35
real(K )/ real(K0)
1,10 0,3
0,25
1,00
0,2
0,90 0,15
Analytical solution-Vs=250m/s
0,80 0,1
Numerical model-Vs=250m/s
Analytical solution-Vs=400m/s 0,05
0,70
Numerical model-Vs=400m/s 0
0,60 0 2 4 6 8
0 2 4 6 8 α0=ωHs/Vs
α0=ωHs/Vs Figure 12 Variation of the rocking stiffness and
2ζSθ damping coefficients with respect to the
1 dimensionless frequency. Effect of the soil
0,9 stiffness on the real component and the imaginary
0,8
component.
imag(K )/ real(K)
0,7
0,6
0,5
0,4 4 CONCLUSIONS
0,3
0,2
0,1 Numerical analysis is undertaken to
0 investigate the dynamic response of suction
0 2 4 6 8 caissons. The study also provides
α0=ωHs/Vs
comprehensive comparison of the numerical
Figure 11 Variation of the coupling stiffness and
damping coefficients with respect to the
models with existing analytical solutions
dimensionless frequency. Effect of the soil formulated for piles. From the results of this
stiffness on the real component and the imaginary study it seems that the general behavior of
component. the suction caissons follows the trend of the
analytical solution suggested by Novak and
In Figures 10, 11 and 12 the imaginary Nogami (1977) for piles. However for the
component is also illustrated for different caisson a Rayleigh wave is experienced in the
values of the shear wave velocity of the soil inner soil with wave-length λ=D in the high
layer. It is observed that increasing the frequency range. In addition, the presence of
stiffness of the soil or decreasing Ep/Es the the cap in the caisson design does not affect
damping decreases. In addition, the radiation significantly the dynamic response of the
damping generated after the 1st soil-foundation system. The analytical
eigenfrequency is almost zero for the rocking formulation of Latini et al. (1977) provides
stiffness component. A significant offset is good agreement with the numerical model of
recorded comparing the numerical models a caisson on a deep soil layer for frequencies
with the analytical solution, when the up to 𝛼0 =5. Concerning the effect of the soil
stiffness of the soil layer is increased. stiffness on the dynamic impedances, it is
Kmθ noticed that decreasing Vs the damping
1,10
increases, which it is in agreement with what
real(K )/ real(K0)
ACKNOWDLEGMENTS
5 REFERENCES