Speaker
Description
The increasing global concern for environmental issues has led a significant transition towards renewable energy sources, particularly wind energy. As the engineering industry drives towards sustainability and renewable energy, a compelling proposal has emerged: the recycling of decommissioned platforms situated in suitable locations to create offshore wind energy platforms (OWTs). The emergence of more robust wind energy converters has placed new demands on supporting structures, requiring them to withstand higher offshore wind speeds and reduced turbulence. Consequently, it is imperative to address the challenge of responsibly and safely disposing of, utilizing, or repurposing existing sites and infrastructure for future offshore energy generation. One potential solution for converting these platforms into wind farms involves adapting the wind turbine tower to the jacket structure using a connection like the transition piece. The transition piece is a critical component of offshore wind turbines, particularly in terms of fatigue life. To facilitate sustainable reuse planning and optimization, a finite element model of the transition piece was developed using Abaqus software. Additionally, a fatigue reliability-based framework, based on the local fatigue approach and Palmgren–Miner’s rule, was established. This framework provides a systematic approach to identifying an optimized reuse plan, encompassing metocean data analysis, structural analysis, and lifecycle evaluation. To demonstrate the practical application of this framework, a case study and sustainable reuse scenario for a site in Porto (Leixões), Portugal was used. This case study illustrates how repurposing decommissioned platforms can contribute to a more sustainable and environmental future in offshore energy generation.
| Conference Topic Areas | Track4: Structural Safety, Integrity Management and Life Extension of Structures |
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