Advanced Simulation Tool Predicts Underwater Landslides Caused by Offshore Wind Turbines
Researchers at Heriot-Watt University have developed an innovative simulation tool that accurately predicts underwater landslides triggered by offshore wind turbines. This new method allows developers to assess seabed stability not only during the design phase but throughout the entire lifespan of a wind farm, optimizing placement and ensuring long-term resilience.
Underwater landslides, where sections of the seabed suddenly shift, can pose a threat to the stability of wind turbines, especially in areas with soft seabeds and gentle slopes. While engineering structures such as monopiles, which are foundations for some offshore wind turbines, can contribute to seabed stress, predicting the extent of this effect has been a challenge.
The Heriot-Watt tool efficiently identifies potential landslide zones, helping developers fortify seabed stability and avoid costly downtime. “Offshore wind farms represent significant investments and have the potential to revolutionize our energy supply. To safeguard these assets, developers require accurate and efficient tools to evaluate seabed stability not only when selecting turbine locations but as an integral part of wind farm operations and monitoring,” said Qingping Zou, professor of coastal dynamics at Heriot-Watt University’s Lyell Centre.
Predicting Seabed Shifts at Every Stage
The Heriot-Watt tool combines soil mechanics theory with a shear strength reduction method to analyze how the seabed withstands stress. Through testing on 3D models of the ocean floor, including real-world locations like Silver Pit off the coast of Lincolnshire, known for submarine landslides, the tool maps potential landslide zones and assesses how turbine foundations impact seabed conditions over time.
Benjian Song, a PhD student at Heriot-Watt, explained, “Our tool addresses a key issue faced by existing models in simulating multiple landslides occurring simultaneously.” The research underscores how turbine foundations and storm activity influence seabed stability. Monopiles, commonly used to anchor offshore wind turbines, create stress concentrations that can affect long-term seabed stability. Increasing the diameter and depth of monopiles can enhance overall slope stability, offering a potential design solution to mitigate risk.
Cathal Cummins from Heriot-Watt emphasized the importance of collaborating with offshore developers to integrate seabed stability assessments into wind farm design and maintenance. “Our tool provides a fast and accurate way to predict underwater landslides with minimal computational requirements. By utilizing it, developers can ensure their offshore wind farms remain stable and achieve their full renewable energy potential,” Cummins concluded.