Work

An integrated model for long-term dynamic performance of monopile-supported wind turbines under operational loads with consideration of soil-structure interaction and soil property evolution

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: During the long-term operation of monopile-supported wind turbines (MWTs), operation loads such as wind, 1P, and 3P loads gradually alter the mechanical properties of surrounding soil, which in turn modifies the turbine's dynamic performance and potentially compromise its safe operation. To address this issue, this study proposed a novel and integrated framework for modelling the long-term dynamic performance of MWTs. The wind turbine is modeled using Euler-Bernoulli beam theory with Rayleigh damping, while aerodynamic loads are computed through blade element momentum (BEM) theory. A bounding surface p-y model considering ratcheting effects is proposed to capture the hysteretic response of soils. Structural stiffness, damping, and aerodynamic loads are iteratively updated to obtain the system response. The framework is validated against monopile cyclic loading tests (Chiou et al., 2018), MWT cyclic loading tests, and MWT long-term dynamic performance wind tunnel tests. Comparison between the predicted and experimental results shows that the model achieves an average error of 12 % for displacement and rotation. The errors in key dynamic characteristics including natural frequency and damping ratio remain within 10 %. These results demonstrate that the model can accurately capture the long-term dynamic response of MWTs, providing an effective method for assessing their long-term operational safety. • An integrated model for wind turbine dynamic performance considering wind-structure-soil coupling is established. • A bounding surface p-y model together with a ratcheting control equation is developed in this study. • The integrated model is validated through cyclic loading tests and wind tunnel tests. • We present a procedure for using the integrated model to predict long-term dynamic performance of MWT.

Source: Ocean Engineering

DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2025.123444

Authors: Xinnan Wei, Kun Lin, Annan Zhou

Institutions: Harbin Institute of Technology, RMIT University

Language: English

Topic: Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Mechanics

Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,150