Alternative Shape of Suction Caisson to Reduce Risk of Buckling under high Pressure

Using large suction caissons for offshore wind turbines is an upcoming technology also referred to as bucket foundations. During operation the bucket foundation is loaded by a large overturning moment from the wind turbine and the wave loads. However, during installation the bucket is loaded by uniform external pressure and vertical forces. The bucket foundation does not require heavy installation equipment, but since it is constructed as a thin steel shell structure, instability, in the form of buckling, becomes a crucial issue during installation. Typically, the bucket foundation is a large cylindrical monopod foundation made of steel. In this paper, an alternative design/shape of the suction caisson, having a smaller risk of buckling under high pressure is presented. The risk of structural buckling is addressed using numerical methods to determine the buckling pressures of the re-designed bucket foundation during installation. Further, the effect of the lateral restraint offered by the surrounding soil on the buckling pressures is analysed. It is found that the new design enables a significantly larger buckling load compared to the traditional design