Life Goes on

Abstract

The Gigawind Life project focuses on the research into service life of offshore supporting structures. Measurements from Alpha Ventus are combined with simulation models, and likewise it is necessary to analyse the influence of swell, scour and marine growth on the fatigue loads of the supporting structures and the consequences of material loss on the service life. The numerical modelling of the tube node connections of jacket supporting structures pose a great challenge for the simulation models. Laboratory experiments are carried out as well as the numerical simulations; in the 3D Wave Basin in Hannover it is possible to precisely analyse the wave and current impact on the offshore structures. If you know the real load data for an offshore wind turbine then, like with a car, you know pretty well when a particular component is coming to the end of its service life, and you can thus automatically determine the service life of an offshore wind turbine.