Session: Structural Design-2

Paper Number: 168845

168845 - Application of the Global Influence Superposition Method for High-Speed Structural Assessment of Floating Wind Turbines 

Abstract: 

The structural analysis of floating offshore wind turbines remains a significant engineering challenge for projects moving beyond the conceptual design stage. Although the available methods for the modelling global responses are generally sufficiently accurate and efficient, the accurate transfer of loads from the global response analysis to a structural model ("load mapping") still requires an efficient solution. A number of solutions to this problem have been proposed recently by both academic and industrial sources. Those that make use of unit loads or unit responses appear to offer a good balance between accuracy and speed. One implementation of such an approach is the Global Influence Superposition (GIS) method developed by Ramboll. Over the past two years the method has been applied in commercial projects at various design levels, from conceptual to FEED level assessments, for both steel and concrete materials. This presentation will provide an overview of the GIS methodology and report on the experiences gained to date. Furthermore, it will discuss the importance of an efficient structural design process for de-risking complex floating wind projects and for the overall project schedule and interfaces. Addressing complex aspects of the structural design at an early stage can significantly contribute to this objective. The advantages and disadvantages of the proposed GIS method in this context will be explained.

Presenting Author: Michael Karch Ramboll

Presenting Author Biography: Michael Karch is a Chief Naval Architect at Ramboll with over 13 years' experience and a strong background in hydrodynamics and offshore engineering. He has been involved in the majority of Ramboll's floating wind projects and has contributed as a subject matter expert to the design and analysis of floating offshore systems, including global response analysis, hydrostatic stability analysis, mooring design and analysis, and structural analysis of foundations. Michael leads Ramboll's Floating Wind R&D activities and has developed numerous methods and software solutions for the design and analysis of offshore structures.

Authors:

Michael Karch Ramboll