Simplified Calculation Methods for All-Vertical-Piled Wharf in Offshore Deep Water

All-vertical-piled wharf is a kind of high-piled wharf, but it is extremely different from the traditional ones in some aspects, such as the structural property, bearing characteristics, failure mechanism, and static or dynamic calculation methods. In this paper, the finite element method （FEM） and theoretical analysis method are combined to analyze the structural property, bearing behavior and failure mode of the all-vertical-piled wharf in offshore deep water, and to establish simplified calculation methods determining the horizontal static ultimate bearing capacity and the dynamic response for the all-vertical-piled wharf. Firstly, the bearing capability and failure mechanism for all-vertical-piled wharf are studied by use of FEM, and the failure criterion is put forward for all-vertical-piled wharf based on the ＇plastic hinge＇. According to the failure criterion and P-Y curve method, the simplified calculation method of the horizontal static ultimate bearing capacity for all-vertical-piled wharf is proposed, and it is verified that the simplified method is reasonable by comparison with the FEM. Secondly, the displacement dynamic magnification factor for the all-vertical-piled wharf under wave cyclic loads and ship impact loads is calculated by the FEM and the theory formula based on the single degree of freedom （SDOF） system. The results obtained by the two methods are in good agreement with each other, and the simplified calculation method of the displacement dynamic magnification factor for all-vertical-piled wharf under dynamic loads is proposed. Then the simplified calculation method determining the dynamic response for the all-vertical-piled wharf is proposed in combination with P-Y curve method. That is, the dynamic response of the structure can be obtained through the static calculation results of P-Y curve method multiplied by the displacement dynamic magnification factor. The feasibility of the simplified dynamic response method is verified by comparison with the FEM under different conditions.

Dynamic Characteristics and Simplified Numerical Methods of An All-Vertical-Piled Wharf in Offshore Deep Water

There has been a growing trend in the development of offshore deep-water ports in China. For such deep sea projects, all-vertical-piled wharves are suitable structures and generally located in open waters, greatly affected by wave action. Currently, no systematic studies or simplified numerical methods are available for deriving the dynamic characteristics and dynamic responses of all-vertical-piled wharves under wave cyclic loads. In this article, we compare the dynamic characteristics of an all-vertical-piled wharf with those of a traditional inshore high-piled wharf through numerical analysis; our research reveals that the vibration period of an all-vertical-piled wharf under cyclic loading is longer than that of an inshore high-piled wharf and is much closer to the period of the loading wave. Therefore, dynamic calculation and analysis should be conducted when designing and calculating the characteristics of an all-vertical-piled wharf. We establish a dynamic finite element model to examine the dynamic response of an all-vertical-piled wharf under wave cyclic loads and compare the results with those under wave equivalent static load; the comparison indicates that dynamic amplification of the structure is evident when the wave dynamic load effect is taken into account. Furthermore, a simplified dynamic numerical method for calculating the dynamic response of an all-vertical-piled wharf is established based on the P-Y curve. Compared with finite element analysis, the simplified method is more convenient to use and applicable to large structural deformation while considering the soil non-linearity. We confirmed that the simplified method has acceptable accuracy and can be used in engineering applications.