V-H-M FAILURE ENVELOPE OF OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE BUCKET FOUNDATION IN SATURATED CLAY CONSIDERING SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERFACE STRENGTH

Lin Wenlong; Gu Xiaoqiang; Shi Zhenhao; Xiao Jiandong; Lin Yifeng; Hu Jing

doi:10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2025-0330

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Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (7) : 98-107. DOI: 10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2025-0330

V-H-M FAILURE ENVELOPE OF OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE BUCKET FOUNDATION IN SATURATED CLAY CONSIDERING SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERFACE STRENGTH

Lin Wenlong^1,2, Gu Xiaoqiang^1,2, Shi Zhenhao^1,2, Xiao Jiandong^1,3, Lin Yifeng³, Hu Jing^1,2

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Abstract

To account for the influence of bucket-soil contact conditions on its bearing capacity, this study introduces the bucket-soil interface strength to reflect the contact characteristics between the bucket and soil. Through a series of three-dimensional finite element analyses, the impact of the skirt length, soil undrained shear strength and bucket-soil interface strength on the bearing capacity of the bucket foundation under combined vertical （V）, horizontal （H）, and moment （M） loads in normally consolidated soft clay is investigated. The normalized V-H-M failure envelope is used to describe the bearing capacity of the bucket foundation under V-H-M combined loads. The findings indicate that the bucket-soil interface strength can significantly influence the bearing capacity of the bucket foundation. Through a large number of finite element analyses, the formulas for the uni-directional ultimate bearing capacity of the bucket foundation considering the bucket-soil interface strength, as well as a normalized V-H-M bearing capacity envelope expression, are established. By comparing the finite element analysis results with the strength envelope expressions from this study and existing literature, the validity of the strength envelope proposed in this research has been verified. The results further indicate that the envelope can reasonably reflect the effect of the bucket-soil contact characteristics on the bearing capacity of bucket foundations under coupled V-H-M loading.

Key words

offshore wind power / bucket foundation / bearing capacity envelope / clay / soil- structure interaction / finite element

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Lin Wenlong, Gu Xiaoqiang, Shi Zhenhao, Xiao Jiandong, Lin Yifeng, Hu Jing. V-H-M FAILURE ENVELOPE OF OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE BUCKET FOUNDATION IN SATURATED CLAY CONSIDERING SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERFACE STRENGTH[J]. Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica. 2026, 47(7): 98-107 https://doi.org/10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2025-0330

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