Seismic soil-structure interaction analysis of wind turbine support structures using augmented complex mode superposition response spectrum method
Abstract. In this study, the seismic soil-structure interaction (SSI) of wind turbine support structures is investigated using response spectrum method (RSM) based on the complex eigenmodes. Seismic loadings on wind turbine support structures are newly derived by complex mode superposition RSM. To improve the prediction accuracy of the shear force acting on footings, this method is augmented by introducing the upper limit of modal damping ratios of 10 %. In addition, the bending moment at the hub height due to the mass moment of inertia of rotor and nacelle assembly is considered as an additional loading. The proposed method is validated by comparison with time history analysis (THA) accounting for different types of foundations and different tower geometries. Seismic loadings acting on the towers and footings by the proposed method show favourable agreement with the mean results by THA of several input acceleration time histories, while the original complex mode superposition RSM strongly underestimates shear forces acting on footings.