New publication on the effects of freak waves on offshore foundations
In collaboration with the Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau (BAW; Mussie Kidane and Ina Teutsch), a new scientific publication has appeared in the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. The work is based on Finn Jost's thesis and examines the load scenario of so-called freak waves in the context of the geotechnical design of offshore foundations.
Freak waves are exceptionally large waves that can occur in all oceans and are considered a possible cause of serious shipping accidents. In addition to maritime structures, they can also place considerable stress on the foundations of offshore wind turbines. Until now, the effects associated with such extreme waves have not been explicitly taken into account in geotechnical design. The article now published closes this research gap.
The results show that wave-induced groundwater flow in particular must not be neglected in the analysis of extreme wave events. Furthermore, the investigations indicate that existing offshore foundation systems are highly likely to fail under the load conditions of a freak wave event.
The article is freely available here.
