Effect of Anchor Depth on Moment-Rotation Response of Bucket Foundation
摘要
Suction bucket is widely used as foundation for offshore wind turbines since it is a simple structure, convenient to install, low construction cost, and reusable. To guarantee stability and serviceability, selection of foundations for wind turbine is crucial. One type of foundation that is being utilized more often in offshore wind farms is the tripod suction bucket foundation. The tripod suction bucket foundation is made up of three legs that support a steel core framework. The purpose of the hollow legs is to breach the ocean floor by suction. When the legs are positioned vertically on the seabed, water is forced out of them, creating a vacuum that allows the foundation to sink into the bottom. Numerous researchers have studied the behavior of suction anchors in deep sand deposits. In light of this, further to understand the moment response of bucket foundation, a PLAXIS 3D software is used in the current study and modeled the tripod suction bucket in sand with anchor aspect ratios of L/D = 0.5, 1, and 2. The environmental loads such as wind load and water wave force are calculated and simulated on wind turbine foundations in order to study the load–displacement and moment-rotation response. The anchor depth has influence on displacement and rotation due to applied load and moment. The constant load applied is insufficient to pull out the anchor of L/D = 2, hence model is failed at lower load levels compared to the anchors of L/D = 0.5 and 1. Anchors of higher embedment depth require more moment capacity to cause a specified rotation. Anchor of L/D = 2 took 27% more moment to cause rotation of 0.196 radians/m when compared to anchor of L/D = 0.5. The vertical displacement of anchor compared to horizontal displacement is negligible.