Lateral-Loading Response of an Offshore Wind Turbine Tetrapod Piled Jacket Foundation Considering Local Scour-Hole Morphology

Tetrapod piled jacket foundations, widely adopted for large-capacity offshore wind turbines, are frequently affected by scour, which substantially alters their lateral mechanical responses. Nevertheless, existing studies on this subject remain limited and mostly adopt simplified uniform scour assumptions that deviate significantly from actual field conditions. This study conducted lateral-loading model tests on scoured tetrapod piled jacket foundations, with the local scour geometry idealized based on the non-uniform scour-hole morphology reported in field monitoring and flume test studies. The evolution law of the lateral bearing capacity of the foundations with scour development is revealed, and the differences in lateral bearing performance under uniform and non-uniform scour are systematically compared. A three-dimensional finite element model is established and validated against test data to verify its accuracy and reliability. Additionally, comprehensive parametric analyses are performed to supplement the experimental results, exploring the influences of flow angles, corresponding scour-hole morphologies and lateral load directions on the lateral bearing performance of tetrapod piled jacket foundations. The pile bearing mechanism and internal force distribution characteristics are further clarified. The research findings can provide a theoretical basis for the safe service of offshore wind turbines supported by tetrapod piled jacket foundations.