Three-dimensional Analysis of Prestressed Concrete Offshore Wind Turbine Structure Under Environmental and 5-MW Turbine Loads

Abstract

A concrete gravity base structure may not be suitable for offshore weak soil because of its heavy weight. Therefore, a conceptual model for a concrete offshore wind turbine structure suitable for weak soils is proposed. The proposed model is composed of a prestressed concrete (PSC) supported by a pile foundation. For a three-dimensional analysis of the large concrete structure, wave pressures based on the diffraction wave theory are developed using a three-dimensional solid finite element method. Static and dynamic analyses were performed to achieve the conceptual model of a PSC structure subjected to ocean environmental loads and a 5-MW turbine load on southwest coast in Korea. From the analysis, the maximum displacement and stresses of the proposed model did not exceed the allowable values from design standard, and the first mode of natural frequency of the structure was in a safe range to avoid resonance. The proposed model has enough structural stability to withstand external loads, and it is expected to be used in locations suitable for concrete gravity structures.

Keywords

Prestressed concrete offshore wind turbine structure / Morison equation / Diffraction theory / Static analysis / Natural frequency analysis