Search the EPA Research Database

Project title

Development of Lifetime Fatigue Models for Offshore Wind Turbine Monopiles with Automated Statistical Learning

Primary Funding Agency

Irish Research Council

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University College Dublin (UCD)

Lead Applicant

n/a

Project Abstract

Ireland�s plans to provide 70% of electricity demand from renewable sources by 2030 and offshore wind is earmarked as a key enabler. Despite the opportunities of offshore wind becoming viable/sustainable as a clean energy source, there are critical challenges which must be overcome. Fixed-bottom monopiles still dominate this industry (despite advances in floating offshore wind) and will continue to influence Ireland�s offshore wind sector for the foreseeable future. De-carbonising the energy sector through offshore wind in Ireland is thus fundamentally related to de-risking of these monopiles over their lifetime, minimizing their operational/capital expenditure and repowering sites after a typical design life (20 years). These, in turn, are closely related to understanding fatigue at a site-specific level. Offshore wind turbine monopiles are complex, dynamic structures with lifetime fatigue effects on them and their foundations governing their lifetime safety levels and the feasibility of re-use/re-powering of their sites. Estimating such lifetime fatigue effects is challenging due to simultaneous presence of complex processes. These include random environmental excitation (e.g. wind, wave), system uncertainties (e.g soil parameters), damage/degradation (e.g. corrosion, bio-fouling), environmental effects (e.g. temperature) and nonlinearities (e.g. blade-tower coupling; foundation scour). Design for longer lasting turbines, service life extension of site re-powering thus need reliable lifetime estimates of fatigue by assimilating the abovementioned effects. This PhD addresses this challenge by bringing together Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions (GDG) a specialist geotechnical consultancy with extensive experience of offshore renewables in Ireland/abroad and Dynamical Systems and Risk Laboratory (DSRL), University College Dublin (UCD). The project will create real-time, automated solutions integrating a combined, multi-physics lifetime dynamic fatigue model of a monopile with bespoke statistical learning tools for hazard-resilient designs. It will ensure best decisions for design, monitoring, rehabilitation and replacements through the synergy of fundamental physics with cutting-edge, automated statistical learning.

Grant Approved

�82,500

Research Hub

Climate related research

Research Theme

Achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Start Date

01/09/2021

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/08/2024