Experimental Study on Local Scour at the Monopile Foundation of an Offshore Wind Turbine under the Combined Action of Wave–Current–Vibration

Abstract

Monopile foundations are the most widely used offshore wind turbine foundations. The experiments were conducted to investigate the influencing factors of local scour around the monopile under the action of wave–current–vibration. The study analyzed the characteristics of local scour, including the maximum scour depth, the development of scour hole shape, and the shape of the scour hole profile. The dimensionless influencing factors (vibration intensity, Froude number, Keulegan–Carpenter number, and combined wave–current parameter) are subsequently analyzed. An empirical formula is developed to predict the local scour depth of a monopile under the combined influence of wave–current–vibration. The formula provides a theoretical underpinning for engineering design.