Wave effects on the anti-liquefaction of the seabed around composite bucket foundation of offshore wind turbines

By using the open-source software OpenFOAM and the grid generation tool the integrated computer engineering and manufacturing code for computational fluid dynamics (ICEM CFD), a computational fluid dynamics-computational structural dynamics (CFD-CSD) coupling model is established. The dynamic response and the liquefaction of the seabed around the composite bucket foundation of the offshore wind turbines in the Xiangshui area of Jiangsu Province are investigated. The pore water pressure, the effective stress, the liquefaction depth and the anti-liquefaction effect of the overlying stones are analyzed. It is shown that the seabed around the composite bucket foundation will be liquefied under 50 year return waves, the liquefaction width is approximately 1/3 of the wavelength, and the maximum liquefaction depth is approximately 1/4 of the wave height. In addition, the overlying stones provide an effective anti-liquefaction method. Thicker, less porous overlying stones have a better anti-liquefaction effect.

Automated summary

Through establishing a CFD-CSD coupling model, this study investigates the liquefaction of seabed and anti-liquefaction effect, revealing that the seabed around the composite bucket foundation may liquefy under 50 year return waves, but the overlying stones provide an effective method for anti-liquefaction.