Computational Modelling of Underwater Noise from Submerged Pile Driving

Offshore pile driving in deep-water environments, where operations involve fully submerged machinery, remains largely unexplored. This paper presents a computational modelling approach for predicting underwater noise from driven piles used as anchors for floating offshore wind applications, which are installed under such conditions. The aim is to investigate the effects of submerged pile driving on the coupled pile–fluid–soil system, with particular emphasis on the influence of impact location relative to the waterline. Compared to conventional pile driving, where impact occurs in air, underwater operations introduce significantly different boundary conditions which may affect the acoustic radiation. These conditions are expected to influence the acoustic response, including the frequency content of the radiated pressure field as well as the sound spatial distribution. This study explores how submerged hammering alters the mechanisms of noise generation compared to traditional installation techniques. The analysis aims to provide insights into the spectral characteristics of anchor installations and to support more accurate underwater noise predictions in deeper basins.