Penetration Tests of Multi-Bucket Foundation in Sand for Offshore Wind Turbines

Suction foundations are generally installed with negative pressures to overcome the resistance of soils and complete the penetration, but excessive negative pressures are also avoided to cause seepage damages. In this paper, the model test method was used to analyze the movement characteristics of multi-bucket foundations in the process of sinking in sand, and the common calculation methods of sinking resistances are verified. The critical negative pressure corresponding to the seepage failure of foundation was determined under the action of increasing negative pressure step by step and the characteristics of soil failure were studied. The calculation formula of critical suction in sand was verified in application, and according to the test results, the value of seepage coefficient was modified, which provides an example for the study of suction foundation in sand soils.