EDF Renouvelables is currently developing three windfarms offshore France with several partners. Two of these windfarms will involve monopile foundations to be installed in weak carbonated rocks. If the industry is progressing on the design of monopile in conventional soils, the experience for such non slender rigid piles in weak rock is still limited. This paper presents a field testing campaign carried out in 2016 to support monopile design methodology. These tests involved the installation of 11 piles of up to 1.2 m diameter (driven or drilled and grouted) and the performance of 8 lateral load tests (4 static and 4 cyclic) with a load applied 5 m above the ground level.
E. Palix and A. Lovera
Keywords: Field tests, Monopile, Carbonated rock, lateral response
Publisher: DFI