Agile Geotechnics for Next Generation Wind – Turbines

Dictated by the world’s escalating energy demands offshore wind-farms are moving beyond the immediate continental shelf in deeper sea waters where the wind blows more strongly and steadily. This “new” deep-water world comes with major challenges in the field of offshore geotechnics; traditional foundations (i.e., large gravity-based foundations and monopiles) are gradually being abandoned and innovation is pursued in the design of novel support systems that are cost-efficient, environmentally-friendly and less susceptible to accumulation of deformations (over the millions of wind/wave loading cycles during the lifetime of the facility). Our work at Grid Engineers has already culminated in the development of a novel foundation prototype that may support Mega-Turbines in seismic regions and intermediate water depths. It comprises of a relatively compliant tower, tethered to the ground with an array of four pre-tensioned cables moored to the seabed by suction anchors.