Review of Numerical Models for Studying the Dynamic Response of Deep Foundations for the Design and Project of Wind Turbines

Abstract

Wind turbines support structures must be designed so that the natural frequencies of the entire system are sufficiently separated from the frequency of the different dynamic loads acting on the wind turbine. The design and analysis of the soil-foundation subsystem is subject to significant levels of uncertainty and simplification. Besides, as the number of wind farms increases, so does the need for installing wind turbines in weaker soils, which leads to the use of deeper foundations such as piles and suction caissons. Thus, the need exists for developing computational models able to estimate, with increasing accuracy and efficiency, the dynamic properties of the foundations mentioned above with the aim of being able to reach optimized, safe and long-life designs that help improving the profitability of the technology and reducing the wind energy costs. In this line, this paper presents a review of computational models, with different degrees of accuracy, applicable to the analysis of the dynamic response of deep foundations for onshore and offshore wind turbines.