Marine foundations comprising suction piles

Abstract

A marine foundation such as a jacket or a tripod foundation for a wind turbine has suction piles that are subjected to cyclical loading of compression phases and tension phases in alternation. Each pile has a one-way valve that opens and closes autonomously in response to pressure differentials between the internal chamber and the surrounding water. The valve opens during the compression phases to effect fluid communication between an internal chamber of the pile and surrounding water. Water is thereby ejected from within the chamber through the valve. Conversely, during the tension phases, the valve closes and water is admitted into the pile only through soil within a skirt of the pile. Thus, a unidirectional, generally upward flow of water is driven through the soil within the skirt during the compression and tension phases, maximizing water flow friction and reducing the risk of liquefaction of the soil.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.