Bearing Capacity of Offshore Wind Power Suction Bucket with Supports Under Extreme Wind and Waves

In this study, we analyzed an offshore wind turbine suction bucket foundation with supports, referred to as the supported suction bucket foundation. A numerical model of a typical 3MW wind turbine suction bucket foundation was established, and the accuracy of the numerical modeling method was validated. The daily wind and wave extreme data for 2022 monitored by a station in the eastern China Sea were converted into loads and applied to the conventional and supported suction bucket foundations. The bearing capacity of the two bucket foundations was, thus, compared and analyzed. The results show that the supported suction bucket foundation reduces the foundation displacement and amplitude. Also, the support structure effectively reduces the soil displacement around the bucket. The maximum displacement of the outer soil of the bucket decreases by about 89.8%, while that of the inner soil of the bucket decreases by about 70.7%. Increasing the supports can reduce the separation of the top lid from the inner soil below it. Further, the supported suction bucket foundation can effectively reduce the plastic strain of the soil around the bucket and reduce the plastic strain difference between the inner and outer soil of the bucket.