Holding capacity of a novel hybrid helical-skirted foundation of offshore wind turbines

Abstract A novel hybrid foundation consisting of a helical pile and a peripheral skirt was introduced in this study. This hybrid foundation exploits both the helical pile and the skirted foundation. This study focused on evaluating the undrained vertical holding capacity of this hybrid foundation in clay using three-dimensional finite element analysis. Their capacities and failure mechanisms were examined and compared. The analysis results showed that a significant increase in the vertical holding capacity was achieved compared to that of an individual component, which is attributed to the enhanced soil mobilization mechanism.