This article deals with some of the civil engineering related problems to be encountered
when offshore wind energy projects transform from prototype offshore wind energy
converter farms, developed and installed during the 1990’s, to commercial farms that’s
currently planned to be built. The offshore wind energy converter (OWEC) installations
encounter a wide range of problems, only partial of these are geotechnical.
In Europe both onshore and offshore wind farms have, from a historical point of view,
usually been founded by using the monopole technique, installed with traditional impact
hammers, or by using gravitational foundations. However, the rapid development of
bigger turbines and larger wind farms, together with increasing considerations of fatigue
aspects, has lead to financial benefits of developing and exploring other foundation
techniques. This paper reviews some Scandinavian experiences regarding critical
components of the design phase in relation to connecting the superstructure to the
ground, and some of the main considerations of how the loads applied to the structure
are transferred to the surrounding soil.
Subjects: Offshore Wind Turbines, Wind Farms, Foundation, Pile, Gravity Structures
Author: K.Viking & Lars Johansson, Ramboll Sverige AB, Sweden
Publisher: DFI