Static load-bearing capacity of multi-planar tubular DK-joints reinforced with FRP composites in offshore wind turbine foundations
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The reinforcement of tubular joints in jacket structures, such as the foundations of offshore wind turbines, is a common practice. To establish comprehensive design guidelines for predicting the ultimate strength of two-planar tubular DK-joints reinforced with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP), in the first step, nonlinear finite element (FE) models were developed and verified against experimental data of unreinforced and FRP-reinforced steel tubular Y-joints. The validated FE methodology was then employed to conduct parametric studies. In total, 345 nonlinear FE models were generated and analyzed to investigate the effects of dimensionless geometrical parameters of the joint, the number of FRP layers, the FRP layer orientations, and the FRP sheet length on the static performance of FRP-reinforced two-planar tubular DK-joints. The results of parametric study were utilized to formulate a parametric equation, through nonlinear regression analyses, to predict the ultimate capacity of two-planar tubular DK-connections strengthened with FRP under axial loading. The key findings demonstrated that the FRP reinforcement can significantly enhance the static performance of tubular connections, including improvements in both stiffness and ultimate strength, and the developed parametric equation can be reliably used for the calculation of ultimate strength of FRP-reinforced two-planar tubular DK-joints subjected to axial loading.
Source: Applied Ocean Research
Authors: Hamid Ahmadi, Mahdi Ghorbani
Language: English
Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,950
OpenAlex ID: W4416452323