Suction caissons for wind turbines

Suction caissons may be used in the future as the foundations for offshore wind turbines. We review recent research on the development of design methods for suction caissons for these applications. We give some attention to installation, but concentrate on design for in-service performance. Whilst much can be learned from previous offshore experience, the wind turbine problem poses a particularly challenging combination of a relatively light structure, with large imposed horizontal forces and overturning moments. Monopod or tripod/tetrapod foundations result in very different loading regimes on the foundations, and we consider both cases. The results of laboratory studies and field trials are reported. We also outline briefly relevant numerical and theoretical work. Extensive references are given to sources of further information. © 2005 Taylor and Francis Group