As the offshore wind industry expands, turbines are installed at larger water
depths than ever before and in regions where extreme natural events occur
frequently. This increases the geotechnical requirements for foundations and motivates research on novel solutions. This study deals with the behavior of
suction bucket foundations, which may constitute viable alternatives to
conventional monopiles. Numerical and experimental methods are applied to
investigate the vertical response of suction buckets to severe monotonic and
cyclic loads. The output provides new insights into the influence of soil
properties, foundation geometry, and loading characteristics. Additionally, a
model for assessing the ultimate capacity, stiffness, and deformation is
developed. It can be implemented at early design stages by foundation
engineers to estimate dimensions conveniently with minimal input.

For a copy of the thesis, please email inst.build.phd@build.aau.dk.