Multi scale studies of the new hybrid foundations for offshore wind turbines

Abstract

The paper presents a new concept of hybrid foundations for offshore wind turbines. The scientific work is based on studies of hybrid foundations at three scales; small laboratory scale, full-field investigation, and 3D numerical simulation. The work based on the analysis of interaction of the monopile in cohesionless soil enabled developing the basis for a more precise determination of lateral stiffness of modern and economic new hybrid foundations for offshore wind turbines. The phenomena occurring in the cohesionless soil were identified and a quantitative evaluation of the plate effect caused by a horizontal force and the bending moment was carried out. A better understanding of the stability problem of offshore wind turbines may also be relevant to current design methods. Research and analysis of obtained results have an impact on the refinement of current design methods of standard monopiles on lateral load.