• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.33-47
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• 2024

Offshore wind structures are subject to long-term repeated horizontal loads from wind, waves, and currents, making it essential to consider these loads in the design of offshore foundations. In this respect, monopiles are large-diameter hollow steel pipes that are relatively simple to construct compared with piles used on onshore sites. They can provide stable support for wind structures and have well-established design codes, leading to their widespread use globally. The behavior of monopiles under lateral static loads is typically assessed using the p-y method proposed by the American Petroleum Institute (API). However, the applicability of p-y curves to large-diameter monopiles exposed to repeated cyclic horizontal loads, such as those experienced in offshore wind applications, must yet be evaluated. Thus, this study evaluated the behavior of monopiles under two-way cyclic horizontal loads in loose silty sand, a representative soil type of the southwestern coast of Korea, using centrifuge model tests. The results demostrated that the behavior of monopiles varied depending on the loading level, number of cycles, and direction of the cyclic loads. Furthermore, the p-y curve method proposed by the API overestimated the behavior of a large-diameter monopile installed in silty sand under two-way cyclic loads.