Work

Lateral response of photovoltaic piles in mucky soft clay of coastal tidal areas: Field tests and numerical investigation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Offshore photovoltaic (PV) engineering frequently confronts complex tidal environments and soft geological conditions; however, the lateral bearing mechanism of pre-stressed high-strength concrete (PHC) pipe piles in tidal flats remains poorly understood in current theories. Drawing upon the full-scale field tests at a tidal flat PV site in Zhejiang Province, China, this study establishes a three-dimensional numerical model incorporating tidal effects, based on the modified structured Cam clay (MSCC) model. The investigation reveals the response patterns of the pile load-displacement relationship, bending moment, soil resistance, and corresponding p-y curves under varying tidal levels and destructuration rates of structured clay. In order to address the limitation that current API standards significantly overestimate the initial stiffness and ultimate resistance of tidal soft clays, a modified p-y curve model introducing a "tidal softening factor" and a simplified bearing capacity prediction method are proposed. The results indicate that tidal action fundamentally alters the pile-soil interaction mode. Specifically, rising tidal levels significantly reduce the effective stress in the soil, inducing soil softening and weakening the lateral constraint on the pile, thereby causing a substantial degradation in lateral bearing capacity. The proposed modified p-y model accurately captures the nonlinear weakening characteristics of structured soft soils, improving prediction accuracy by approximately 27% compared to API standards. These findings have been applied to multiple PV sites globally, providing a robust theoretical basis for the design of PV foundations in complex tidal environments.

Source: Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering

DOI: 10.1016/j.jrmge.2026.06.020

Authors: Baicong Yao, Shijin Feng, Yong Zhao, Xibin Li, Xianlin Jia, Sai Fu

Institutions: Tongji University, Jiaxing University, Powerchina Huadong Engineering Corporation (China)

Language: English

Topic: Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Mechanics

Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: diamond