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Large scale offshore static pile tests - practicality and benefits Iberdrola is developing the 350 MW Wikinger offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea where ground conditions are dominated by glacial tills and chalk. A review of current pile design methods highlighted significant design uncertainties that could lead to unnecessarily conservative pile dimensions for the jacket wind-turbine support structures. To address these concerns, the project commissioned, in advance of final design, offshore dynamic and fully autonomous static pile load tests, that were completed ten weeks after driving, on 50 % downscaled 1.37 m diameter in water depths of around 40 m. This paper provides an overview of the testing and its practicalities as well as outlining the project risks and opportunities that justified the field testing programme. Lessons learned are shared and conclusions are drawn regarding pile test feasibility, design and planning. Cost-benefit analysis demonstrates the potential value of offshore static testing in future offshore developments that face comparable difficult ground conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]