Technology Assessment & Research (TA&R) Program

Project Number  670
Date of Summary  October 5, 2011
Subject  Design Standards for Offshore Wind Farms
Performing Activity  American Bureau of Shipping
Principal Investigator  Dr. Qing Yu
Contracting Agency  Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
Completed  September, 2011
Description  The three main objectives of this project were to:
  1. Study the governing load cases and load effects for wind turbines subjected to tropical revolving storms on the US OCS.

  2. Review and evaluate the existing methods of calculating the breaking wave slamming loads inflicted on offshore wind turbine support structures.

  3. Provide recommendations to support future enhancements to the relevant design criteria for offshore wind turbines.
The scope of work was broken up into the following tasks:

Task 1. Conduct a State-of-the Art Review that will include the collection, evaluation and summary of relevant information.

Task 2. Study the Governing Load Cases and Load Effects for Wind Turbines Subjected to Tropical Revolving Storms on the US OCS.

Task 3. Evaluate the Existing Methods of Calculating the Breaking Wave Slamming Loads on Offshore Wind Turbines Support Structures.

Task 4. Develop Recommendations and Recommended Practices.

Task 5. Document the efforts and results in a Draft Final Report and Final Report.
Progress  The project is complete and the Final Report is posted below.
Report 
AA  Design Standards for Offshore Wind Farms, September 2011, by Qing Yu, Kunho Kim and Tzu-Wei Lo, American Bureau of Shipping, Houston, Texas