Safety Evaluation of the Combined Load for Offshore Wind Turbine Suction Foundation Installed on Sandy Soil

Abstract

Offshore wind turbine (OWT) receive a combined vertical-horizontal- moment load by wind, waves, and the structure’s own weight. In this study, the bearing capacity for the combined load of the suction foundation of OWT installed on the sandy soil was calculated by finite element analysis. In addition, the stress state of the soil around the suction foundation was analyzed in detail under the condition that a combined load was applied. Based on the results of the analyses, new equations are proposed to calculate the horizontal and moment bearing capacities as well as to define the capacity envelopes under general combined loads.