DEM Analysis on Soil Horizontal Support Mechanism of Monopile Subjected to Cyclic Lateral Loading

In recent years, offshore wind power generation has garnered considerable attention as a renewable energy source. At offshore site, cyclic lateral loads owing to wind, waves and currents are dominant, it is necessary to evaluate the long-term performance of the structure and its surrounding ground under cyclic lateral loading. Currently, monopiles are the most popular foundation structures for offshore wind turbines. In this study, the behavior of the monopile and its surrounding soil was evaluated by Discrete Element Method (DEM), focusing on one-way cyclic lateral loading. The normal stress distribution of each particle was observed, and the support mechanism of the monopile was qualitatively discussed.