Monotonic Characterisation of Low- to Medium-Density Chalk for Driven Offshore Pile Design

Vinck, K., Liu, T., Jardine, R., Kontoe, S., Buckley, R. , Byrne, B., McAdam, R., Ferreira, P. and Coop, M. (2023) Monotonic Characterisation of Low- to Medium-Density Chalk for Driven Offshore Pile Design. In: 9th International SUT OSIG Conference “Innovative Geotechnologies for Energy Transition”, London, UK, 12-14 Sep 2023,

Abstract

Driven piles support a substantial number of offshore wind turbines, near-shore bridges, and port facilities. Designing and installing these piles can be challenging in Chalk, a porous, low-density, weak carbonate rock prevalent beneath vast areas of NW Europe. Designers currently have limited guidance on driveability, axial capacity, lateral pile resistance - a key factor in offshore wind turbine monopile behaviour, and how these piles can endure axial or lateral cyclic loading. This paper outlines the characterisation of very weak to weak, low- to medium-density chalk via in situ profiling and laboratory testing. The experimental characterisation identified chalk behaviour traits that demand meticulous consideration in numerical analysis for modelling real-world issues, including chalk’s noticeable sensitivity, brittleness, pressure dependency, anisotropy, and strain rate dependency. These findings formed the groundwork for numerical analysis using advanced constitutive models to aid in interpreting axial and lateral tests on driven piles.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Additional Information: The study was carried out as part of the ALPACA project funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) grant EP/P033091/1, Royal Society Newton Advanced Fellowship NA160438 and Supergen ORE Hub 2018 (EPSRC EP/S000747/1).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Buckley, Dr Roisin
• Authors: Vinck, K., Liu, T., Jardine, R., Kontoe, S., Buckley, R., Byrne, B., McAdam, R., Ferreira, P., and Coop, M.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Infrastructure and Environment

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