Experimental Study on Wave Total Force Subjected by Deepwater Jacket Foundation Structure Under the Extreme Wave Condition

Wave force is crucial to the stability and safety of deep-water jacket foundation structure of the offshore wind power. By wave physical model tests, the wave total force subjected by the deep-water jacket foundation structure under the extreme wave condition is experimentally studied, including the total horizontal force and vertical force. The water depth for the experiment is 50 m and 70 m respectively and the wave return period is once in 1 000 years. The results show that under the action of the extreme waves with the same return period, the wave total horizontal force subjected by the jacket structure at a water depth of 70 m is less than that at a water depth of 50 m, but the bending moment of the total horizontal force at the water depth of 70 m is greater than that at the water depth of 50 m. Under the case of the same water depth, water level and wave conditions, the wave total vertical force subjected by the jacket structure is significantly less than the wave total horizontal force. Under the action of the extreme waves with the same return period, the wave total vertical force subjected by the jacket structure at the water depth of 70 m has no big difference from that at the water depth of 50 m at low water level. At high water level, however, the wave total vertical force at the water depth of 70 m is significantly greater than that at the water depth of 50 m because at the water depth of 70 m the wave crests can impact to and act on the bottom surface of the upper platform under the extreme wave condition.