TY - JOUR

T1 - Experimental investigation of offshore crane load during installation of a wind turbine jacket substructure in regular waves

AU - Aliyar, Sithik

AU - Meyer, Jannik

AU - Sriram, V.

AU - Hildebrandt, Arndt

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Germany . This research has also benefitted from support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) for the Collaborative Research Center 1463 ‘Integrated Design and Operation Methodology for Offshore Megastructures’ (SFB1463 - 434502799). Approval of the version of the manuscript to be published (the names of all authors must be listed): A Sithik, V. Sriram, Meyer J, Hildebrandt A.

PY - 2021/12/1

Y1 - 2021/12/1

N2 - Installation of offshore structures for harvesting energy or oil and gas industries is still burdensome because of the rough sea state. Unless a calm water condition prevailing, installing any substructure or floating structure at offshore sites is very difficult. Hence, there has been great potential for research to investigate offshore structures’ installation for normal and more energetic wave conditions. To understand and develop the methodology for the installation, the hydrodynamic response of the structure and impact received by the offshore crane is vital. In this context, the present study focuses on installing a heavy concrete jacket foundation sub-structure (Equivalent steel jacket) of an offshore wind energy structure. Due to the heavyweight and the temporary buoyancy tanks, the structure's response during installation is different from the tubular steel structures predominantly used for jacket structures. In this work, the structure's response in regular waves at different positions of upending is analysed. Also, the peak force received by the crane at different sea states is measured for different positions of upending. Finally, the forces to be expected while upending the jacket in waves is quantified, and a suitable weather window is suggested. Furthermore, the critical positions in upending are established.

AB - Installation of offshore structures for harvesting energy or oil and gas industries is still burdensome because of the rough sea state. Unless a calm water condition prevailing, installing any substructure or floating structure at offshore sites is very difficult. Hence, there has been great potential for research to investigate offshore structures’ installation for normal and more energetic wave conditions. To understand and develop the methodology for the installation, the hydrodynamic response of the structure and impact received by the offshore crane is vital. In this context, the present study focuses on installing a heavy concrete jacket foundation sub-structure (Equivalent steel jacket) of an offshore wind energy structure. Due to the heavyweight and the temporary buoyancy tanks, the structure's response during installation is different from the tubular steel structures predominantly used for jacket structures. In this work, the structure's response in regular waves at different positions of upending is analysed. Also, the peak force received by the crane at different sea states is measured for different positions of upending. Finally, the forces to be expected while upending the jacket in waves is quantified, and a suitable weather window is suggested. Furthermore, the critical positions in upending are established.

KW - Buoyancy tank

KW - Experiments

KW - Jacket structure

KW - Motion response

KW - Offshore crane operation

KW - RAO

KW - Upending

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117900800&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2021.109979

DO - 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2021.109979

M3 - Article

VL - 241

JO - Ocean Engineering

JF - Ocean Engineering

SN - 0029-8018

M1 - 109979

ER -