A 3D Wave-Structure-Seabed Interaction Analysis of a Gravity-Based Wind Turbine Foundation

Abstract

In order to prevent the future risk of soil and structural failures, it is essential to evaluate the dynamic seabed soil behaviors in the vicinity of the offshore foundations under dynamic wave loadings. Three-dimensional (3D) numerical analysis is conducted on the interaction between waves, seabed soil and a gravity-based wind turbine foundation. An OpenFOAM based numerical code developed by Tang [1]for wave-structure-seabed interaction is applied. The nonlinear waves are modeled by solving the Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible flow. The dynamic structural response of the foundation is computed using a linear elasticity solver. The transient responses of the seabed are solved by an anisotropic poro-elastic soil solver. The dynamic interaction between different physical domains is implemented by boundary condition coupling and updating in the integrated FVM based framework. The dynamic wave pressure on the structure and the seabed, the elastic responses of the structure and the changes of the pore pressure, shear stress and seepage flow structure in the seabed are investigated. Highest wave-induced shear stress along the foundation is predicted by solving the deformable structure model. For the seabed soil in the vicinity of the foundation, it is found that the presence of the foundation affects the soil responses by amplifying the wave induced shearing effect on the underlying seabed. Vertical distributions of the pore pressure in the seabed beneath the foundation are investigated with different angles relative to the wave propagation direction. A parametric study of isotropic and anisotropic soil permeability is performed and demonstrates that for the simulated soil in this work, the consideration of the anisotropic permeability is suggested.