Siport21, a Madrid-based port-maritime consultancy company, has presented the “Methodology of the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic analysis of fixed and floating structures for the offshore wind industry”, which allows studying the safety conditions during transport and installation of the support structures for offshore wind turbines.
The work is based on a dynamic analysis of gravity-based structures and floating foundations for offshore wind turbines or auxiliary structures. Different tools were used to simulate the behaviour of floating, moored, towed or anchored structures, under the effect of various combinations of wind, waves and currents.
For the assessment, analysis criteria of classification societies such as DNV GL, Lloyd’s, and ABS were used.
Based on the analysis, it was possible to elaborate operation, towing and installation procedures and emergency plans which can be optimised according to meteorological, operational and survival criteria.
Also, the methodology allows for optimisation of the turbine operation, improvement of the geometry of the support structure, and avoiding traffic interference in the area using manoeuvre simulation tools.
The company presented the methodology during the 8th Technical Meeting of the Marine Renewable Energy Working Group.