Response of Suction Caisson Foundations for Offshore Wind Turbines Subjected to Earthquake Loading: Numerical Simulations

Abstract

Installation of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) increases exponentially in order to meet the demand of energy and to achieve a huge target of renewable energy for reducing carbon emission. Several OWTs are being built in seismic zones. The safety of OWTs that utilize suction bucket foundations is significantly depended on earthquake threat and liquefaction. This study examined the suction bucket's performance for OWTs situated in liquefiable sand when exposed to wind and seismic forces. To conduct nonlinear dynamic assessments, three-dimensional numerical models were created by using FEM program PLAXIS 3D, simulating the sandy seabed using the Mohr–Coulomb constitutive model. The study concentrated on evaluating a number of variables, including wind forces, seismic effects, bucket aspect ratios, and sand densities, that affect the way suction bucket foundations behave seismically. The investigation looked at how the OWT responded to combined earthquake and wind loading circumstances in terms of acceleration, horizontal displacements, excess pore water pressure ratios, and settlements. It was observed in the study that the OWT could undergo permanent tilting that surpasses the state of the serviceability limit, a result of the combined impact of wind, earthquakes, and liquefaction. The research also examined the deformation mechanisms of the foundation for the suction bucket, when subjected to these forces. The outcomes of this study offer valuable information for the engineering of OWTs in regions prone to seismic activity. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Indian Geotechnical Society 2025.