Numerical Modeling of the Influence of Scour and Scour Protection on Monopile Dynamic Behavior

Scour of seabed sediments can occur around offshore foundations. For monopile-supported offshore wind turbine structures, the reduction in foundation stiffness due to scour presents certain operational challenges. In cases where scour causes the natural frequency of the structure to become, for example, close to the range of rotor loading frequencies then—due to the increased risk of fatigue damage—turbine support structures are at risk of reduced operation, or even premature decommissioning. In practice, scour protection and/or remediation systems are typically used to mitigate the development of scour. As well as preventing further erosion, scour remediation systems may have a restorative effect on the stiffness of the foundation. This paper describes a one-dimensional (1D) finite-element model for the analysis of natural frequencies for monopile-supported turbine support structures with active scour process around the foundation. The model also incorporates procedures to model the influence of a rock fill scour remediation system on the foundation stiffness. The numerical model is calibrated and validated by comparison with a set of previously described reduced-scale model tests conducted in a flume. The calibrated 1D model is applied to a field case study at a UK offshore wind farm site.