Investigation of the load-bearing capacity of suction caissons used for offshore wind turbines

Bagheri, Pouyan,Son, Su Won,Kim, Jin Man Elsevier 2017 Applied ocean research Vol.67 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>This paper presents the results of three-dimensional finite element analyses of the suction bucket foundation used for offshore wind turbines. The behavior of the bucket and the response of soil supporting the bucket in dense and medium dense sandy soils subjected to static horizontal load are investigated. Field tests results and a centrifuge model test are used to validate the numerical model. Dimensionless horizontal load-displacement and overturning moment-rotation relationships are derived utilizing the Power law and Buckingham’s theorem. The results show good agreement between the numerical analysis results and the straight lines obtained from the Power law until a specific value of horizontal load and overturning moment. Regarding stress behavior of soil supporting the bucket, due to soil densification and bucket movement, maximum stresses are seen near the bucket tip at the right inside of the bucket. The major part of the applied load is transferred by the bucket skirt. Numerical analysis modeling results show that the bucket rotation and displacement are highly dependent on the bucket geometry and soil properties in addition to loading conditions. Normalized equations and figures for the ultimate horizontal load and overturning-moment capacities are presented and can be used for the preliminary design of the bucket foundations in sandy soils.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Preliminary design equations and figures for bucket foundations are proposed. </LI> <LI> Presenting normalized equations and figures for bucket foundations using Power law. </LI> <LI> Bucket rotation and displacement are highly dependent on the bucket geometry. </LI> <LI> Maximum stresses are seen near the bucket tip at the right inside of the bucket. </LI> <LI> The largest soil displacement occurs near the lid inside of the bucket. </LI> </UL> </P>

Evaluation of cyclic and monotonic loading behavior of bucket foundations used for offshore wind turbines

Bagheri, Pouyan,Kim, Jin Man Elsevier 2019 Applied ocean research Vol.91 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Suction caissons are considered as an alternative foundation solution for offshore wind turbines. In the present study, three-dimensional finite element (FE) analyses are performed to assess the behavior of a bucket foundation and soil supporting the bucket under cyclic and monotonic loading conditions. A parametric study is also performed for a wide range of bucket geometries and two different soil densities. The results indicate that bucket geometry and soil properties significantly affect the foundation response due to cyclic loading conditions. The bucket with the smallest geometry installed in medium dense soil exhibits the lowest stiffness in initial loading and then with the progress of cyclic loads experiences lower stiffness compared to the caissons with larger geometries. The sensitivity of the foundation response to the soil density is higher than its geometry. The bucket under the lowest vertical load experiences the lowest stiffness in both virgin loading and during the progress of cyclic loads. The highest soil displacement is observed near the lid at the interior of the bucket. Stresses caused by cyclic loading belong to certain ranges. Additionally, increases in the skirt length result in increases in the stress ranges and shift the range to the right side. With respect to the monotonic loading conditions, normalized diagrams are proposed that can be used for the preliminary design of suction bucket foundations.</P>

점성토 지반에 설치된 Tripod 버켓기초의 지지거동 분석

김성렬(Kim Sung-Ryul),정재욱(Jeong Jae-Uk),오명학(Oh Myounghak),권오순(Kwon Osoon) 대한토목학회 2012 대한토목학회논문집 C Vol.32 No.3

해상 풍력발전기의 기초로 사용되는 버켓기초에는 수평하중과 모멘트가 크게 작용한다. 그러므로, 수평하중과 모멘트에 대한 지지력을 증가시키기 위해 3개의 단일 버켓기초를 묶은 Tripod 버켓기초가 적용되고 있다. 본 연구는 ABAQUS(2010) 해석을 수행하여 점토 지반에 근입된 Tripod 기초의 무리효과와 지지력을 분석하였다. 변수연구를 위해 버켓간 간격비 S/D(S=버켓과 타워중심간의 거리, D=버켓 직경)와 근입깊이비 L/D(L=버켓의 지반 근입깊이)를 변화시키며 해석을 수행하였다. 구성모델은 정규압밀 점토지반에 대해 Tresca 항복기준을 적용한 탄성-완전 소성 모델, 그리고 버켓기초에 대해 탄성모델을 적용하였다. 하중조건은 절점의 변위를 증가시키는 방법으로 연직, 수평 그리고 모멘트 하중을 재하하였다. 해석결과로부터, 단일 버켓기초와 Tripod 기초의 지지거동과 지지력을 비교한 후 단일 버켓의 지지력을 이용하여 Tripod 기초의 지지력을 산정하는 방법을 제안하였다. Bucket foundations, which are used in the foundations of offshore wind turbines, should be able to withstand large amounts of horizontal and moment loads. Tripod bucket foundation, which combines three single buckets, has been used to increase horizontal and moment capacities. This study performed numerical analysis using ABAQUS (2010), to analyze the group effect and the bearing capacity of a tripod bucket in clay. Parametric studies were performed varying the bucket spacing ratio S/D (S=spacing between the centers of the bucket and the tower; D=diameter of the bucket) and depth ratio L/D (L=embedded length of skirt). The applied constitutive models were a linear elastic perfectly plastic model with Tresca yield criteria for normally consolidated clay and an elastic model for buckets. Loading in the vertical, horizontal, and moment directions was simulated with an increase in each movement at a reference point. The bearing behavior and the capacities of a single and a tripod bucket were compared. Capacity evaluation method of the tripod bucket was suggested using the capacity of a single bucket.

Foundation Types of Fixed Offshore Wind Turbine

김윤재,최진욱,임진석,Choi Sungwoong 한국해양공학회 2024 韓國海洋工學會誌 Vol.38 No.2

Offshore wind turbines are supported by various foundations, each with its considerations in design and construction. Gravity, monopile, and suction bucket foundations encounter geotechnical issues, while jacket and tripod foundations face fatigue problems. Considering this, a gravity foundation based on a steel skirt was developed, and a monopile foundation was analyzed for Pile-Soil Interaction using the p–y curve and 3D finite element method (3D FEM). In addition, for suction bucket foundations, the effects of lateral and vertical loads were analyzed using 3D FEM and centrifuge tests. Fatigue analysis for jacket and tripod foundations was conducted using a hotspot stress approach. Some hybrid foundations and shape optimization techniques that change the shape to complement the problems of each foundation described above were assessed. Hybrid foundations could increase lateral resistance compared to existing foundations because of the combined appendages, and optimization techniques could reduce costs by maximizing the efficiency of the structure or by reducing costs and weight. This paper presents the characteristics and research directions of the foundation through various studies on the foundation. In addition, the optimal design method is presented by explaining the problems of the foundation and suggesting ways to supplement them.

모래지반에서 버켓기초 설치에 의한 지반교란 평가

김재현,이승태,김동수 한국지반공학회 2018 한국지반공학회논문집 Vol.34 No.11

Bucket foundations are widely used in offshore areas due to their various benefits such as easy and fast installations. A bucket is installed using self-weight and the hydraulic pressure difference across the lid generated by pumping out water from inside the bucket. When buckets are installed in high permeable soil such as sands, upward seepage flow occurs around the bucket tip and interior, leading to a decrease in the effective stress in the soil inside the buckets. This process reduces the penetration resistance of buckets. However, the soil inside and outside the bucket can be disturbed due to the upward seepage flow and this can change the soil properties around the bucket. Moreover, upward seepage flow can create significant soil plug heave, thereby hindering the penetration of the bucket to the target depth. Despite of these problems, soil disturbance and soil plug heave created by suction installation are not well understood. This study aims to investigate the behavior of soil during suction installation. To comprehend the phenomena of soil plug heave during installation, a series of small-scale model tests were conducted with different testing conditions. From a series of tests, the effects of tip thickness of bucket, penetration rate, and self-weight were identified. Finally, soil properties inside the bucket after installation were approximated from the measured soil plug heave.

사질토 지반에 설치된 버킷기초 및 얕은기초의 수직지지력 산정

박정선(Jeongseon Park),박두희(Duhee Park),지성현(Sunghyun Jee),김동준(Dongjoon Kim) 한국지반환경공학회 2015 한국지반환경공학회논문집 Vol.16 No.9

사질토 지반에 설치된 버킷기초의 수직지지력은 주면마찰력과 선단지지력의 합으로 산정할 수 있다. 하지만 수직하중 작용 시 나타나는 주면마찰력 감소와 선단지지력 증가의 특징을 정확하게 고려할 수 있는 설계식이 없으며, 실제와 같은 사질토 지반의 비관련흐름 특성이 반영되어야 한다. 본 연구에서는 2차원 축대칭 유한요소해석으로 사질토 지반에 설치된 원형 버킷기초의 수직지지력을 다양한 지반 마찰각과 기초 크기에 대하여 산정하였다. 해석 결과의 극한지지력을 주면마찰력과 선단지지력으로 분리하여 특징을 분석한 후 각각의 설계식을 도출하였다. 버킷기초의 주면마찰력은 선단지지력에 비해 크기가 매우 작고 말뚝 설계식과 차이가 근소하므로 이를 동일하게 사용하였다. 주면마찰력의 영향으로 얕은기초의 지지력보다 증가하는 버킷기초의 선단지지력은 기존의 설계식을 수정하여 적용할 수 있도록 해석 결과를 토대로 새로운 형상-깊이계수(sq · dq )를 제안하였다. 또한 관련흐름법칙을 적용하여 제안된 기존의 얕은기초 형상계수와 깊이계수는 실제 사질토 지반에서의 지지력을 과대예측하므로 비관련흐름 특성을 반영한 형상-깊이계수를 사용하여 지지력을 예측해야 한다. The vertical bearing capacity of a bucket foundation installed in sand can be calculated as sum of the skin friction and end bearing capacity. However, the current design equations are not considering the non-associated flow characteristics of sand and the reduction in the skin friction and increase in the end bearing capacity when the vertical load is applied. In this study, we perform two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element analyses following non-associated flow rule and calculate the vertical bearing capacity of circular bucket foundation of various sizes installed in sand of different friction angles. After calculating the skin friction and end bearing force at the ultimate state, design equations are derived for each. The skin friction of bucket foundation is shown significantly small compared to the end bearing capacity. Considering the difference with the available design equation for piles, it is recommended that the equation for piles is used for the bucket foundation. A new shape-depth factor (sq?dq) for bucket foundation is recommended which also accounts for the increment of the end bearing capacity due to skin friction. Additionally, the shape and depth factor of embedded foundation proposed from the associated flow rule can overestimate the bearing capacity in sand, so it is more adequate to use the shape-depth factor proposed in this study.

모형실험을 통한 모래지반에서 석션버켓기초의 관입저항력 평가

김근수(Keunsoo Kim),권오순(Osoon Kwon),오명학(Myounghak Oh),장인성(Insung Jang) 한국지반환경공학회 2014 한국지반환경공학회논문집 Vol.15 No.6

석션버켓기초는 펌프로 버켓 내부의 물을 외부로 배출할 때 발생한 압력차로 지반에 설치되는 기초이다. 버켓기초는 외해의 플랫폼이나 석유?가스 시추시설을 계류시키기 위한 앵커로 주로 사용되었으나, 최근 유럽을 중심으로 해상풍력발전의 기초로 적용되기 시작하면서 국내에서도 큰 관심을 받고 있다. 석션버켓기초의 관입저항력 산정은 석션버켓기초를 성공적으로 시공하기 위해 고려해야 할 주요 사항 중의 하나이다. 본 연구는 석션버켓기초를 관입시킬 때 필요한 관입력을 평가하기 위해 실내모형실험을 수행하였다. 실내모형실험은 압입설치 및 석션설치에서 측정한 관입저항력을 관입성능평가에서 많이 사용되는 기존의 이론식과 비교하여 강도감소계수의 적절한 범위를 검토하였다. Suction bucket foundation is installed with the differential pressure created by pumping water out of bucket. Bucket foundation has usually been utilized in mooring anchor for offshore platform or floating oil and gas production facilities in the open sea. After suction bucket foundation successfully was applied as the foundation for offshore wind turbines in Europe, it recently attracts much attention in Korea, too. To estimate the penetration resistance of the suction bucket foundation is one of the important matters that should be considered during its installation. This study carried out a series of model tests to investigate the penetration resistance of suction bucket foundation. And the mobilized soil strength factor was reviewed through comparing the experimental results by two installation ways (e.g., push-in-load and suction) and the results calculated by the conventional equation.

Seismic Response of Bucket Foundations for Offshore Wind Tower

Olalo Leonardo T.,추연욱,양상국,서지훈,배경태 한국방재학회 2015 한국방재학회논문집 Vol.15 No.5

This study aims to investigate seismic response of bucket foundations for the support of offshore wind tower. The prototype design of the bucket foundation was scaled down with a scaling number of 1/240 to manufacture the model. An additional gravity base foundation(GBF) model was prepared and its diameter is same with the bucket. The dynamic centrifuge tests for both models installed in sandy soil were carried out at 60 G resulting in the 1/4 scale prototype. Two real earthquake motions, Kobe and El Centro earthquakes were applied to the models. The earthquake motion scaled with peak accelerations from 0.02 G to 0.2 G was excited at the base of the soil container. The acceleration at the platform level (i.e. the connection of the tower and foundation) for the bucket foundation is lower than that of the GBF. The types of earthquake affected the responses at the platform. The displacement at the platform level of the bucket was also lower than the GBF. The contact pressure was at the bottom invert of both models and skirt surface of the bucket. The contact pressure at the bottom invert of the GBF significantly increases with increasing excitation while that of the bucket is negligible. The contact pressure at the skirt surface of the bucket significantly increases due to seismic loading.

해상풍력발전 버켓기초공법의 경제성 평가

오명학(Oh, Myoung-Hak),권오순(Kwon, Oh-Soon),김근수(Kim, Keun-Soo),장인성(Chang, In-Soung) 한국산학기술학회 2012 한국산학기술학회논문지 Vol.13 No.4

풍력발전기의 용량이 점차 대형화되고 해상풍력단지는 수심이 깊은 곳에 조성됨에 따라 해상풍력발전구조물 의 하부구조 및 기초시공비용 또한 급격히 증가될 것으로 예상된다. 석션버켓기초는 버켓형식의 기초를 자중에 의한 관입과 자중관입 이후 석션에 의한 관입으로 설치하는 공법이며, 대형장비 대신 충분한 용량의 펌프만 있으면 기초의 시공이 가능하므로 시공이 간편하고 경제적인 공법으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 석션버켓기초의 경제성을 검토하 기 위하여 상부지반이 사질지반과 연약지반인 경우일 때 대수심 조건에 적용 가능한 기초형식인 자켓과 석션버켓기 초를 적용한 트라이포드의 시공비용을 비교하였다. 그 결과 지반이 단단하고, 기초개수가 증가할수록 자켓형식보다는 트라이포드 버켓기초형식을 적용하는 것이 더 경제적임을 확인하였다. As the turbine capacity and the water depth of wind farms are increasing, the construction cost of substructures and foundations for offshore wind turbines is expected to increase. Since the installation of suction bucket foundation is achieved by both self-weight and applied suction, the construction generally does not require heavy equipment for penetration. This study provides an economic analysis on the tripod which have the bucket foundations and compares that the jacket foundation at 50m water depth on sand layer or soft layer. As the strength of the soil and the number of the foundation is increasing, the construction cost of the tripod with the bucket foundations is more economically feasible than the jacket foundation.

수치모델을 이용한 버킷기초의 장기거동 분석

박정선(Jeongseon Park) 한국지반환경공학회 2021 한국지반환경공학회논문집 Vol.22 No.10

풍력발전기 기초의 누적 회전각과 침하량을 예측하는 것은 매우 중요하다. 하지만 반복하중에 따른 버킷기초의 장기거동을 분석하는 연구는 거의 이루어지지 않았다. 본 연구에서는 사질토 지반에 설치된 버킷기초의 다양한 3차원 유한요소해석을 수행하였다. 반복 삼축압축시험으로부터 도출된 강성감소 경험식을 수치모델에 사용자 서브루틴으로 적용하여 해석을 수행하였다. 강성감소 모델을 사용하여 버킷기초의 누적 회전각을 산정하였으며, 반복하중 작용 시 거동에 영향을 주는 주요인자에 대한 분석이 이루어졌다. Estimation of accumulated rotational angles and settlements are critical in design of wind turbine foundation. However, there have been few exploring the response of bucket foundation to long-term cyclic loading. We performed a series of three-dimensional finite element analyses of bucket foundations installed in sands. An empirical formulation which captures the stiffness degradation observed in cyclic triaxial tests implemented into the finite element analysis in the form of a user subroutine. Using the stiffness degradation model the accumulated rotation and displacement of bucket foundation were calculated. Additionally, important factors affecting the response under cyclic loading were assessed.