The ICP Design Method and Application to a North Sea Offshore Wind Farm

19.05.15 KB. Ok to add accepted version to spiral© ASCE 2015.This paper outlines the Imperial College Pile (ICP) approach for developing reliable predictions for the axial capacity of driven piles. The ICPs advantages over traditional design methods have led to widespread use in offshore oil and gas developments. The methods are now playing a critical role in major Northern European offshore wind projects. Hundreds of large steel tubular piles are being driven in the North and Baltic seas and improving design efficiency is crucial to the industrys economic success. This paper provides an overview of the development of the ICP design methods and summarizes their key features, together with experience-based guidance on their application. Their application is illustrated by reference to the North Sea Borkum West II wind farm, where 40 turbines have been installed on steel tripods founded on large diameter steel piles driven in very dense sands. The paper reports how the significant effects of axial and lateral cyclic loading were addressed for Borkum West II through the ICP design methodology