Grouting Cabin Structure for Offshore Wind Turbine Bearing Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grouted connections for offshore wind turbine generators lack active holding actions to enhance their bearing capacity, relying on passive stress modes such as friction and mechanical bond forces.
Innovation Solution
A grouting cabin structure is introduced, featuring an enclosed cabin between the pile and sleeve with pressurized grouting to generate active holding forces through pre-stresses, utilizing shear keys and optimized grouting spaces to enhance the connection's strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If passive stress modes (friction and mechanical bond forces) are used in grouted connections, then the structure is simple, but the bearing capacity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The grouted connection is divided into multiple segments: the external pile, the cabin structure with internal wall, and the grout material filling the gap between them. This segmentation allows for the introduction of shear keys on both the external pile surface and internal wall surface, creating multiple interfaces for active holding actions while maintaining overall structural clarity
Solution Approach 2:
Shear keys are pre-formed on the external pile surface and internal wall surface before grouting. These shear keys create predetermined mechanical bond interfaces that actively engage with the grout material, providing preliminary holding capacity before the grout is even injected, thereby enhancing bearing capacity through proactive structural design rather than passive reliance on friction alone
2Strength
If grouting and pressurized grouting are performed in the enclosed cabin, then active holding forces are generated, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cabin structure with its internal wall is nested within the annular gap between the external pile and the sleeve. This nested configuration creates a contained chamber that directs grout flow and ensures uniform distribution of pressurized grout around the entire perimeter of the connection, facilitating more uniform stress distribution and simplifying the grouting process despite the added structural element
Solution Approach 2:
The grout material acts as an intermediary substance that transmits and distributes the pressurized holding forces uniformly around the connection interface. The grout fills the gap between the external pile and internal wall, mediating the force transfer and ensuring that active holding forces are distributed evenly, which simplifies the overall manufacturing process by eliminating the need for complex mechanical fastening systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The grouting cabin structure significantly improves the bearing capacity of the grouted connection by generating active holding forces, thereby enhancing the performance and stability of the connection.
Implementation Method 1
active holding forces (pre-stresses, including pre-stress due to expansion of grouting materials) can be generated
Implementation Method 2
pre-stress due to expansion of grouting materials
Implementation Method 3
shear keys may enhance mechanical bond forces
Data Source
AI summary
A grouting cabin structure of a grouted connection for use in a foundation of an offshore wind turbine generator is described. The structure includes a pile, a sleeve which is coaxial with said pile and installed outside said pile, and a first grouting exhaust port and a first connection port for a grouting pipe provided at an upper part and a lower part of said sleeve. An enclosed cabin of a barrel form is arranged in a gap between said pile and said sleeve, said enclosed cabin is formed by an internal wall of said cabin and said sleeve, a second connection port for the grouting pipe and a second grouting exhaust port are provided at a lower and an upper part of said enclosed cabin, respectively; the cabin and pile form a first grouting space and said cabin and said sleeve forms a second grouting space.