Novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure

Abstract

The application discloses a novel offshore wind power jacket foundation structure and relates to the technical field of offshore wind power engineering. The novel offshore wind power jacket foundation structure comprises a plurality of tower columns, adjacent tower columns are connected through inclined support assemblies and transverse support assemblies, the transverse support assemblies, the inclined support assemblies and the tower columns are connected through frictional double-shear connecting nodes, the frictional double-shear connecting nodes comprise T-T type nodes, K-K type nodes and multidirectional space nodes, and adjacent two multidirectional space nodes are connected through constraint assemblies. The novel offshore wind power jacket foundation structure is adopted, the cross-sectional shape of a rod is optimized, a node structure is innovated and a support leg arrangement is diversified, the bearing capacity, the fatigue resistance and the adaptability of the offshore wind power jacket foundation are significantly improved, the amount of structural materials can be effectively reduced and the novel offshore wind power jacket foundation structure is suitable for various marine environments and engineering requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of offshore wind power engineering technology, and in particular to a novel offshore wind power jacket foundation structure. Background Technology

[0002] As the capacity of offshore wind turbines continues to increase, the design and manufacturing of their foundation structures face higher requirements. Jacket foundations, due to their excellent overall stability and adaptability, are widely used in wind farm construction in shallow and medium-water areas. Existing jacket structures generally employ intersecting welding connections, which easily leads to stress concentration at the spatial intersections between components and at the weld seams. Welding quality is significantly affected by the construction environment, especially under high humidity and high salt spray conditions at sea, where the durability and corrosion resistance of the welds are difficult to guarantee. Node areas are typically designed as thick-walled structures to meet welding and strength requirements, resulting in localized material waste. Traditional cross-shaped diagonal braces lack effective out-of-plane support, resulting in poor stability, especially under conditions such as wind turbine yaw and extreme winds, severely restricting structural performance optimization. Traditional four-legged jackets, when dealing with high-power units and complex marine loads, suffer from uneven load distribution and excessive stress on local components, requiring larger component sizes, leading to a significant increase in overall steel consumption and poor economic efficiency.

[0003] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, some studies in recent years have attempted to enhance overall performance by increasing component cross-sections, improving steel strength, or increasing the number of supporting components. However, these methods often lead to a significant increase in structural self-weight, higher construction and installation costs, and increased construction difficulty. Furthermore, as critical load-bearing components of the jacket structure, the reliability of joint connections directly affects structural safety and service life. Existing welded or ordinary bolted joints still suffer from maintenance difficulties, insufficient corrosion resistance, and inconvenient replacement during long-term service.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new jacket foundation structure that can improve the overall stiffness, stability and node durability without significantly increasing its own weight, so as to meet the application requirements of large offshore wind turbines. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure to solve the problems of low structural efficiency and poor node reliability of traditional jacket foundations in the application of large-scale wind turbine units.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a novel offshore wind power jacket foundation structure, comprising multiple tower columns, adjacent tower columns being connected by diagonal support components and transverse support components, wherein the transverse support components, the diagonal support components, and the tower columns are all connected by friction-type double shear connection nodes;

[0007] The friction-type double shear connection node includes TT-type nodes, KK-type nodes, and multi-directional spatial nodes, with adjacent multi-directional spatial nodes connected by constraint components.

[0008] Preferably, the TT-type node, the KK-type node, and the multi-directional spatial node are all connected by anti-corrosion groove rivets, and the anti-corrosion groove rivet includes a rivet body and a locking collar.

[0009] Preferably, the inclined support assembly includes several intersecting inclined rods, all of which are connected at a preset angle to different elevation nodes of the tower column, forming a multi-layered inclined support network in the vertical direction.

[0010] Preferably, the lateral support assembly includes several horizontal bars that pass through the intersection nodes of the diagonal bars in a horizontal direction, and both ends of the horizontal bars are connected to the tower column to form a horizontal circumferential support network.

[0011] Preferably, the TT-type node is a double-T-type connection node located at the connection between the crossbar and the tower column. The double-T-type connection node includes two sets of T-shaped trapezoidal uprights symmetrically arranged on the tower column. Each set of T-shaped trapezoidal uprights has two pieces, and the two T-shaped trapezoidal uprights are connected to the end of the crossbar through two T-shaped rectangular connecting plates.

[0012] Preferably, the KK-type node is a double K-type connection node located at the connection between the diagonal brace and the tower column. The double K-type connection node includes two sets of K-type trapezoidal node plates symmetrically arranged on the tower column. Each set of K-type trapezoidal node plates is provided with two pieces. The upper and lower ends of the two K-type trapezoidal node plates are respectively connected to the end of the diagonal brace through two K-type rectangular connection plates.

[0013] The K-shaped rectangular connecting plates are all inclined, and the angle of inclination is the same as the preset angle of the inclined rod.

[0014] Preferably, the multi-directional spatial node is located at the intersection of the four diagonal bars. The multi-directional spatial node includes two octagonal connecting plates, two octagonal filling plates are provided on the inner side of the two octagonal connecting plates, and two hexagonal flange connecting plates are provided on the inner side of the two octagonal filling plates. The crossbar passes between the two hexagonal flange connecting plates. The six flanges of the two hexagonal flange connecting plates extend radially to the inner side of the diagonal bar and the outer side of the crossbar, respectively. Filling plates are provided at the connection points between the hexagonal flange connecting plates and the diagonal bar and the crossbar.

[0015] Preferably, the constraint component includes a transverse diaphragm, with T-shaped plates embedded and connected to both sides of the transverse diaphragm. The T-shaped plates are connected to a stiffening plate, and the stiffening plate is connected to the octagonal connecting plate.

[0016] Preferably, when the number of tower columns is set to five, the five tower columns are arranged along the circumference and fixed on the bottom foundation, and the five tower columns are arranged in equal-angled intervals of 72°.

[0017] Preferably, when the number of tower columns is set to six, the six tower columns are arranged in a circumferential direction and fixed on the bottom foundation, and the six tower columns are arranged in equal 60° intervals.

[0018] Therefore, this invention adopts the above-mentioned novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure. Through the innovative design of a five-legged or six-legged space truss system, combined with friction-type double shear connection node technology and rivet anti-corrosion technology, it achieves a comprehensive improvement in structural performance under complex marine environmental loads (including multi-directional loads such as wind, waves, and currents), and provides a foundation solution that combines high reliability, economy and construction convenience.

[0019] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a front view of an embodiment of the novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a top view of an embodiment of the novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the KK-type node in an embodiment of the novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the TT-type node in an embodiment of the novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-directional spatial node of an embodiment of the novel offshore wind power jacket foundation structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a front view of a multi-directional spatial node in an embodiment of the novel offshore wind power jacket foundation structure of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a top view of a multi-directional spatial node in an embodiment of the novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the anti-corrosion ring groove rivet in an embodiment of the novel offshore wind power jacket foundation structure of the present invention;

[0029] Reference numerals: 100, Tower column; 200, Diagonal brace; 300, Horizontal bar; 400, Transverse diaphragm; 500, KK type node; 501, K type trapezoidal node plate; 502, K type rectangular connecting plate; 600, TT type node; 601, T type trapezoidal node plate; 602, T type rectangular connecting plate; 700, Multi-directional spatial node; 701, Octagonal connecting plate; 702, Octagonal filler plate; 703, Hexagonal flange connecting plate; 704, Filler plate; 705, T-shaped plate; 706, Stiffening plate; 707, Operating hole; 800, Anti-corrosion grooved rivet; 801, Rivet body; 802, Locking collar. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0032] Example

[0033] Please see Figures 1-9 This invention provides a novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure, comprising multiple tower columns 100. Adjacent tower columns 100 are connected by diagonal support components and transverse support components. The transverse support components, diagonal support components, and tower columns 100 are all connected by friction-type double-shear connection nodes. The friction-type double-shear connection nodes include TT-type nodes 600, KK-type nodes 500, and multi-directional spatial nodes 700. Adjacent multi-directional spatial nodes 700 are connected by constraint components.

[0034] When the number of tower columns 100 is set to five, the five tower columns 100 are arranged circumferentially and fixed to the bottom foundation, forming a pentagonal spatial layout with equal 72° intervals. When the number of tower columns 100 is set to six, the six tower columns 100 are arranged circumferentially and fixed to the bottom foundation, forming a hexagonal spatial layout with equal 60° intervals. The lower end of the tower columns is fixed to the seabed using pile foundations or suction cylinder foundations. The pile foundations can be either driven or inserted steel pipe piles, while the suction cylinder foundations use a multi-cylinder combination arrangement. Both foundation types are optimized to ensure the structure's resistance to pull-out, slippage, and overturning stability in deep-sea environments, meeting safety requirements under extreme working conditions.

[0035] The annular symmetrical spatial layout of five or six tower columns 100 improves the uniformity of load distribution among the tower columns 100, significantly reducing the stress level of individual tower columns 100 and individual nodes, effectively enhancing overturning resistance and eccentric load resistance, and significantly improving load distribution efficiency. Combined with a variable cross-section inclined design, it significantly improves the overall torsional stiffness, eccentric load resistance, and material utilization efficiency of the structure, and greatly enhances overall stiffness, stability, and fatigue resistance without significantly increasing the structure's self-weight, enabling the tower column 100 structure to adapt to multi-directional loads under different geological conditions and complex marine environments.

[0036] The diagonal support assembly includes several intersecting diagonal braces 200, each connected at a preset angle to different elevation nodes of the tower column 100, forming a multi-layered diagonal support network in the vertical direction. The angle of each layer of diagonal braces 200 is designed for optimized stress distribution, generally between 35° and 55°, ensuring efficient transfer of horizontal and vertical loads through axial force. Figure 2 As shown, the arrangement angle and connection position of the diagonal braces 200 in each layer are optimized so that the horizontal load is effectively transferred to the tower column 100 through the axial force of the diagonal braces 200. At the same time, the vertical load is distributed through multiple paths through the inclined component of the diagonal braces 200. The multi-layer diagonal support network significantly improves the load-bearing efficiency of the overall structure.

[0037] The lateral support assembly includes several horizontal bars 300, which pass horizontally through the intersection nodes of four diagonal bars 200. Both ends of the horizontal bars 300 are connected to the tower column 100, forming a horizontal circumferential support network. The horizontal bars 300 are arranged through the center of the multi-directional spatial node 700, and their upper and lower flanges have operating holes 707 in the central area of ​​the node for the installation of ring groove rivets. This arrangement enhances the overall structural integrity by establishing direct connections between the tower columns 100, and effectively reduces the in-plane calculated length of the diagonal bars 200 by constraining their deformation, while significantly improving the structure's resistance to shear deformation, lateral displacement, and torsional effects.

[0038] The TT-type node 600 is a symmetrically arranged double-T-shaped connection node located at the connection between the crossbar 300 and the tower column 100, employing a double shear friction connection. The double-T-shaped connection node includes two sets of T-shaped trapezoidal uprights symmetrically arranged on the tower column 100. Each set of T-shaped trapezoidal uprights consists of two plates. The bottom of the T-shaped trapezoidal uprights is fixed to the wall panel of the tower column 100 by full penetration welding. The two T-shaped trapezoidal uprights are connected to the end of the crossbar 300 via two T-shaped rectangular connecting plates 602. Specifically, the top cross-section of the T-shaped trapezoidal upright is machined to be parallel and completely aligned with the cross-section of the web of the crossbar 300. The web of the crossbar 300 and the top of the T-shaped trapezoidal upright are lapped together by the T-shaped rectangular connecting plate 602. One end of the T-shaped rectangular connecting plate 602 overlaps with the web of the crossbar 300, and the other end overlaps with the T-shaped trapezoidal node plate 601.

[0039] KK-type node 500 is a symmetrically arranged double-K-type connection node located at the connection between the diagonal member 200 and the tower column 100, employing a double shear friction connection. The double-K-type connection node includes two sets of K-type trapezoidal node plates 501 symmetrically arranged on the tower column. Each set of K-type trapezoidal node plates 501 consists of two plates, which are fixed to the wall panel of the tower column 100 by full penetration welding. The waist of the K-type trapezoidal node plate has bent sections on both sides. After bending, the cross-section of the node plate remains parallel and completely aligned with the cross-section of the web plate of the adjacent diagonal member 200. An assembly gap is reserved between the bent section and the cross-section of the web plate at the end of the diagonal member 200 to meet installation tolerances and anti-corrosion coating thickness requirements. The upper and lower ends of the two K-type trapezoidal node plates 501 are respectively connected to the inner and outer web plates at the end of the diagonal member 200 via two K-type rectangular connecting plates 502, with an overlap length not less than 1.2 times the height of the web plate of the diagonal member 200. Figure 4 As shown, the K-shaped rectangular connecting plates 502 are all inclined, and the angle of inclination is the same as the preset angle of the inclined rod 200.

[0040] A multi-directional spatial node 700 is located at the intersection of four diagonal bars 200, used to simultaneously connect the four intersecting diagonal bars 200 and two out-of-plane transverse diaphragms 400, achieving multi-directional force transmission and enhanced spatial stiffness. The multi-directional spatial node 700 includes two octagonal connecting plates 701, with two octagonal filling plates 702 located inside the two octagonal filling plates 701. Two hexagonal flange connecting plates 703 are located inside the two octagonal filling plates 702, and a transverse bar 300 runs through the two hexagonal flange connecting plates 703. Each of the six flanges of the two hexagonal flange connecting plates 703 extends radially to the inner side of the diagonal bar 200 and the outer side of the transverse bar 300, respectively, and connects to a filling plate 704. The filling plate 704 is located inside the web of the diagonal bar 200 and outside the transverse bar 300, used to achieve a stable connection between the hexagonal flange connecting plates 703 and the transverse bar 300.

[0041] The overlapping areas of the above-mentioned TT-type node 600, KK-type node 500 and multi-directional space node 700 are all equipped with a compensation plate. The material is the same as the connecting plate. The installation position is located between each connecting plate, web plate and node plate. It is used to compensate for the difference in thickness between different components, so that the overlapping surface maintains uniform contact during the force transmission process, thereby avoiding local stress concentration and early fatigue failure.

[0042] The aforementioned TT-type node 600, KK-type node 500, and multi-directional spatial node 700 are all connected using anti-corrosion grooved rivets 800. All anti-corrosion grooved rivets 800 are made of high-strength alloy steel and coated with an anti-corrosion coating. Each anti-corrosion grooved rivet 800 includes a high-strength alloy steel rivet body 801 with an annular groove and a locking collar 802 with teeth on its inner surface matching the groove, used to improve connection reliability and long-term corrosion resistance. The anti-corrosion grooved rivet 800 connection achieves uniform shear force transmission through mechanical interlocking and pre-tightening force, extending the fatigue life of the node. Combined with anti-corrosion treatment, this improves corrosion resistance during long-term service.

[0043] During installation, the head of the rivet body 801 is uniformly positioned inside the node plate, while the shank of the rivet body 801 extends to the outside, facilitating operation of the rivet gun from the outside and significantly improving the riveting quality in offshore construction. A hydraulic riveting process is used during installation, applying a preload of no less than 1.15 times the design preload to each rivet body 801, ensuring that the joint maintains stable connection strength and excellent fatigue resistance even under long-term wind and wave loads.

[0044] The constraint components include a transverse diaphragm 400, with T-shaped plates 705 embedded on both sides of the diaphragm 400. The T-shaped plates 705 are connected to stiffening plates 706, which in turn are connected to octagonal connecting plates 701. This arrangement effectively controls the lateral deformation of the diagonal brace 200 by establishing an out-of-plane constraint system, while maintaining a lightweight structural design. Without significantly increasing the number and weight of components, it significantly improves the spatial stability and torsional resistance of the structure.

[0045] The tower column 100, diagonal member 200, horizontal member 300, diaphragm 400, and various connecting nodes of this basic structure form a space truss system. The diagonal member 200, horizontal member 300, and diaphragm 400 are all made of square steel tubing, ensuring uniform stress distribution on all four sides. This facilitates the arrangement of multiple sets of node plates at the joints, reducing stress concentration in the welds and improving fatigue resistance. Furthermore, the various node plates, in conjunction with anti-corrosion grooved rivets 800, form friction-type double-shear connection nodes, completely replacing the traditional intersecting welding process of round steel pipes. This significantly reduces stress concentration effects and weld quality risks, while also reducing material usage.

[0046] All connection nodes of this basic structure can be disassembled or replaced, facilitating offshore installation and subsequent maintenance. It has the technical advantages of modular installation and rapid docking, and is suitable for deep-sea foundation platforms for large-megawatt wind turbines. It can be parametrically adjusted according to water depth, geological conditions, and wind turbine load, and has high versatility and economy.

[0047] All members and node plates of this basic structure are manufactured modularly, facilitating prefabrication on land, segmented transportation, and rapid assembly at sea. This reduces high-altitude welding operations, lowers construction risks, and shortens the construction period. All members and node plates are prefabricated in an onshore factory, with standardized holes pre-drilled at the ends of the members to correspond to the anti-corrosion groove rivets 800, ensuring accurate alignment during offshore assembly. All component dimensions and connection holes are machined using 3D CNC machining to ensure interchangeability. The node plates and anti-corrosion groove rivets 800 are modular standard parts, allowing for adjustments to thickness and hole diameter specifications according to the actual design.

[0048] In this embodiment, under the premise of meeting the design requirements for load-bearing capacity and overall stiffness, the overall structure adopts a method of finite element analysis combined with optimization design to rationally configure the cross-sectional dimensions and layout of the components, so that the stress path of each load-bearing component is evenly distributed, avoiding local stress concentration and effectively reducing the self-weight of the structure. While ensuring structural safety and long-term service performance, the amount of steel used is minimized, thus balancing economy and safety.

[0049] The specific installation process includes: first, fixing the bottom foundation ring of the jacket to the pile foundation or suction cylinder; then, sequentially hoisting the tower column 100, diagonal brace 200, horizontal brace 300, and transverse diaphragm 400 modules; and finally, connecting the nodes using anti-corrosion groove rivets 800 and hydraulic riveting equipment. All connections are mechanically fastened, requiring no on-site welding; only a localized anti-corrosion coating is needed before use. This installation method significantly reduces high-altitude operations and offshore welding time, lowering construction risks.

[0050] Therefore, the present invention adopts the above-mentioned novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure, which significantly improves the load-bearing capacity, fatigue resistance and adaptability of offshore wind turbine jacket foundation through optimization of the cross-sectional shape of the members, innovation of the node structure and diversification of the leg arrangement, and can effectively reduce the amount of structural materials used, making it suitable for various marine environments and engineering needs.

[0051] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure, characterized by: It includes multiple tower columns, and adjacent tower columns are connected by diagonal support components and transverse support components. The transverse support components, the diagonal support components, and the tower columns are all connected by friction-type double shear connection nodes. The friction-type double shear connection node includes a TT-type node, a KK-type node, and a multi-directional space node, with two adjacent multi-directional space nodes connected by a constraint component. The inclined support assembly includes several intersecting inclined rods, all of which are connected to different elevation nodes of the tower column at a preset angle, forming a multi-layered inclined support network in the vertical direction; The lateral support assembly includes several horizontal bars that pass through the intersection nodes of the diagonal bars in a horizontal direction, and both ends of the horizontal bars are connected to the tower column to form a horizontal circumferential support network. The TT-type node is a double-T-type connection node located at the connection between the crossbar and the tower column. The double-T-type connection node includes two sets of T-shaped trapezoidal uprights symmetrically arranged on the tower column. Each set of T-shaped trapezoidal uprights has two pieces. The two T-shaped trapezoidal uprights are connected to the end of the crossbar through two T-shaped rectangular connecting plates. The KK-type node is a double K-type connection node located at the connection between the diagonal brace and the tower column. The double K-type connection node includes two sets of K-type trapezoidal node plates symmetrically arranged on the tower column. Each set of K-type trapezoidal node plates is provided with two pieces. The upper and lower ends of the two K-type trapezoidal node plates are respectively connected to the end of the diagonal brace through two K-type rectangular connection plates. The K-shaped rectangular connecting plates are all inclined, and the angle of inclination is the same as the preset angle of the inclined rod; The multi-directional spatial node is located at the intersection of the four diagonal bars. The multi-directional spatial node includes two octagonal connecting plates. Two octagonal filling plates are provided on the inner side of the two octagonal connecting plates. Two hexagonal flange connecting plates are provided on the inner side of the two octagonal filling plates. The crossbar passes between the two hexagonal flange connecting plates. The six flanges of the two hexagonal flange connecting plates extend radially to the inner side of the diagonal bar and the outer side of the crossbar, respectively. Filling plates are provided at the connection points between the hexagonal flange connecting plates and the diagonal bar and the crossbar.

2. The novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The TT-type node, the KK-type node, and the multi-directional spatial node are all connected by anti-corrosion grooved rivets, which include a rivet body and a locking collar.

3. The novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The constraint assembly includes a transverse diaphragm, with T-shaped plates embedded on both sides of the transverse diaphragm. The T-shaped plates are connected to a stiffening plate, which is connected to an octagonal connecting plate.

4. The novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the number of tower columns is set to five, the five tower columns are arranged along the circumference and fixed on the bottom foundation, and the five tower columns are arranged in equal 72° intervals.

5. The novel offshore wind turbine jacket foundation structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the number of tower columns is set to six, the six tower columns are arranged along the circumference and fixed on the bottom foundation, and the six tower columns are arranged in equal 60° intervals.

Images