Studies on the use of Finned Piles in Clayey soils-Paper

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The study uses three-dimensional finite-element analyses to examine the lateral-load response of monopiles and finned piles embedded in soft and stiff clay. The 1.2 m-diameter, 10 m-long steel piles were modeled in Abaqus, with clay represented by a Mohr–Coulomb model. Analyses compared fin orientations, lengths and positions, with lateral response assessed at pile-head deflections of 0.05D and 0.1D.<br /><br />Fins generally increased lateral capacity, with performance depending on their geometry, location and soil strength. For fins extending along the pile, finned piles resisted approximately 30–50% more lateral load than regular piles. Diagonal fins performed less effectively than straight or star configurations, particularly for longer fins. The most effective placement was near the pile top, where fins make strong use of passive soil resistance: top-mounted fins increased capacity by about 48–55% in soft and stiff clay. Middle-mounted fins gave smaller gains, while bottom-mounted fins provided little benefit and could slightly reduce capacity in soft clay.<br /><br />The authors conclude that top-positioned fins can substantially improve monopile lateral resistance and may allow reductions in pile length or diameter, saving material. They identify a fin width of 0.5 times the pile diameter and a fin length of half the pile length as an effective configuration. These findings are based on numerical analyses and should be interpreted in that context.

Keywords

monopile

finned piles

lateral-load response

finite-element analysis

Abaqus

soft clay

stiff clay

pile-head deflection

passive soil resistance

lateral capacity