An automated approach for optimizing monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines for serviceability and ultimate limit states design

Pile foundation design is conventionally conducted using a process of trial and error, where the dimensions of a pile are estimated and the performance is computed and compared with design criteria. The dimensions are varied and the process is repeated in order to converge to a safe and economical design. In this paper, this time-consuming and labor intensive process is replaced with an automated approach using the example case of an offshore monopile supporting a wind turbine. The optimum length and diameter of the monopile are determined with the aim of minimizing the pile weight while satisfying both serviceability and ultimate limit state criteria. The approach handles general soil and loading conditions and includes an ability to incorporate cyclic loading.