Email this article Structural performance analysis of steel piled offshore platforms under environmental loads
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20528/cjsmec.2026.01.003
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Steel pile foundations used in offshore structures must be able to maintain their structural integrity and safety throughout the structure's service life under environmental effects such as waves, currents, and wind. In this context, this study conducts a detailed investigation of the structural performance of a steel-piled offshore platform under environmental wave loads with different return periods. Within the scope of the analysis, the behavior of a typical platform pile group was modeled and analyzed using the Sesam Genie software under wave loads with 1-year (operating), 100-year (extreme), and 10,000-year (abnormal) return periods, considering four different soil units (ZU1, ZU2, ZU3, and ZU4). The analysis determined the maximum internal forces acting on the piles (axial forces, lateral forces, and moments) as well as the maximum displacement values at the pile tips, which ranged between 0.012 m and 0.054 m depending on the load direction and return period. Furthermore, the maximum utilization factor (UF) for each pile was calculated, varying between 0.22 and 0.49, and compared against the minimum safety factors specified in the ISO 19902 standard. It was found that in all scenarios, the maximum utilization factors of the piles remained below the respective safety limits, and the horizontal displacements at the pile tips were within acceptable engineering levels. Unlike many previous studies focusing on single piles, this study systematically evaluates group pile behavior in layered soil conditions, providing more realistic insights into offshore foundation performance. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of concurrently evaluating soil properties and environmental loads for the structural safety of steel pile foundations and contributes to the multifaceted engineering parameters that must be considered during the design phase.
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