TY - JOUR

T1 - Hydrodynamics around a jacket-type foundation structure in steady current

T2 - A combined experimental and numerical study

AU - Satari, Ramish

AU - Sarma, Barnapratim

AU - Schendel, Alexander

AU - Welzel, Mario

AU - Krishna, Rahul

AU - Schlurmann, Torsten

AU - Neuweiler, Insa

N1 - Funding Information: This study has been carried out within the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1463 “Integrated design and operation methodology for offshore megastructures” and is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) - SFB 1463 - 434502799. Alexander Schendel gratefully acknowledges the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy within the funded project “marTech” (BMWi: 0324196A-B)

PY - 2024/4/15

Y1 - 2024/4/15

N2 - This study investigates the flow characteristics around a complex jacket-type foundation structure when subjected to steady current. The investigation is conducted through physical experiments and numerical simulations. A fully three-dimensional OpenFOAM model is implemented, solving the Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. In addition, physical experiments were carried out using Particle Image Velocimetry techniques to measure flow velocities around a joint element of the same jacket-type structure. High-resolution measurements were taken in several cross-sectional planes. The findings demonstrate a complex location-dependent flow pattern. Over the height of the jacket, the acceleration of flow and the vortex systems alter as the jacket narrows and distances between structural element change. Flow variations at different cross-sections along the jacket highlight the complex influence of specific jacket elements on the flow behavior. The inclination of piles, along with their varying diameters and arrangements, has a significant impact on the flow field. This makes the direct application of knowledge on the hydrodynamics around pile groups challenging. The geometry of the structure leads to an asymmetrical distribution of maximum shear stress amplification around the main piles, which influences scour depth expectations.

AB - This study investigates the flow characteristics around a complex jacket-type foundation structure when subjected to steady current. The investigation is conducted through physical experiments and numerical simulations. A fully three-dimensional OpenFOAM model is implemented, solving the Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. In addition, physical experiments were carried out using Particle Image Velocimetry techniques to measure flow velocities around a joint element of the same jacket-type structure. High-resolution measurements were taken in several cross-sectional planes. The findings demonstrate a complex location-dependent flow pattern. Over the height of the jacket, the acceleration of flow and the vortex systems alter as the jacket narrows and distances between structural element change. Flow variations at different cross-sections along the jacket highlight the complex influence of specific jacket elements on the flow behavior. The inclination of piles, along with their varying diameters and arrangements, has a significant impact on the flow field. This makes the direct application of knowledge on the hydrodynamics around pile groups challenging. The geometry of the structure leads to an asymmetrical distribution of maximum shear stress amplification around the main piles, which influences scour depth expectations.

KW - Complex structures

KW - Hydrodynamics

KW - Offshore wind energy

KW - Particle image velocimetry (PIV)

KW - Pile groups

KW - RANS

KW - Turbulence modeling

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85190288718&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2024.117832

DO - 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2024.117832

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85190288718

VL - 304

JO - Ocean engineering

JF - Ocean engineering

SN - 0029-8018

M1 - 117832

ER -