Impact of Model Uncertainties on the Design Loads

of Large Wind Turbine Jacket Foundations

PO.
116

Anand Natarajan, anat@risoe.dtu.dk

RIS DTU National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
Abstract

Analysis of Non Linear Effects

Loads Prediction

The design driving forces on wind turbine jacket support

structures in moderate water depths are derived from the
rotor loading and from hydrodynamics. The uncertainties
in the jacket loads are evaluated especially with a focus
on non linear wave kinematics as this is a driving design
load component for support structures in moderate water
depths for upscaled turbines. The model approximations
in the hydrodynamic loads are divided into two types,
wave kinematic model approximations such as the wave
frequencies and load approximations such as the
application of the Morison equation, the structural
flexibility and phase differences between loading
components. The baseline wave spectrum for loads
analysis is taken as the JONSWAP spectrum and
corrected for second order wave kinematics. The
hydrodynamic load on the jacket foundation structure is
modeled using a transfer function dependent on the
wave amplitude, wave number and cut-off frequencies.
The uncertainties in the wave crest kinematics and the
influence of the nonlinear wave stochastic moments on
the mud line overturning loads and moment is shown by
determining the wave cut-off frequencies from the
sensitivity derivatives of the wave kinematics. The
variation in the combined jacket loads at the mud line
from the hydrodynamics and rotor are computed with
perturbations in the support structure frequencies. The
fatigue damage margins and extreme load margins are
evaluated based on the assessed variations in the mud
line load.

Effect of the wave cut-off frequency on the kurtosis of the

second derivative of the wave velocity (UDD) in the direction
of wave propagation. Kurtosis levels above 4 are not
acceptable.

Top view of the jacket with the wave direction at 45 deg to

the jacket cross section which represents the most extreme
load condition at the mud line

Kurtosis of Second Cerivative of Wave Velocity

7
Hm0 =5.5 m

6.5
Hm0 =3.5m
6
Hm0 =7.9m
5.5
5
4.5
4

3.5
3
1.4

1.6

1.8

2.2
2.4
Wave Frequency (/sec)

2.6

2.8

The impact of the kurtosis of UDD on the wave velocity.

Kurtosis values above 4 in UDD can result in sharp peaks
and steep troughs that are unrealistic.

Effect of the support structure natural frequency on the

Variation of the extreme mud line jacket load as a function
of the mean wind speed when using the JONSWAP wave
spectrum and second order non linear wave limits.

Objectives
A significant assumption in the modeling of ocean
waves is the linearity of the wave kinematics which is
not valid in moderate water depths where wind turbines
are being installed.
It is proposed that at least a second order non linear
random wave model must be used for simulation of
loads on the wind turbine support structure.
Uncertainties in the wave kinematics can cause large
variations in the hydrodynamic load especially for non
linear wave models due to the effect of the skewness
and kurtosis of the stochastic process.

Conclusions
Comparison of the non linear wave velocity one sided
power spectral density (PSD) with the corresponding
power spectrum from the linear wave velocity at the
mean sea level.
The PSD of the non linear velocity displays a broader
band due to the effect of the wave sum ( i+ j) and
difference frequencies ( i- j).

When using second order wave kinematics in the

design of extra large turbine support structures, the
wave sum frequencies can interact with the support
structure natural frequencies.
The variations on the mud line out of plane loads from
the rotor and the waves is evaluated at 30m water
depth using the Upwind 5MW reference turbine.
The sensitivity derivatives of the wave particle velocity
and acceleration at a fixed height is expressed as

ux
L

Zx

The necessity of utilizing at least a second order non

linear wave kinematic model with appropriate wave
significant height distributions was described. The
principal model uncertainties contributing significantly to
the simulated extreme and fatigue loading at the mud
line of jacket structures when using non linear waves has
been outlined as: 1) The determination of the wave cutoff frequency as a function of the wave significant height,
2) appropriate modeling of the wave phase lags between
the jacket legs and 3) The effect of the wave frequency
sum and difference components on the mud line
cumulative loading. A definite method of determining the
wave cut-off frequency based on limiting the kurtosis of
the second derivative of the wave velocity to a magnitude
of 4 was proposed. This was seen to limit the cut-off
frequencies of nonlinear waves to approximately 3 times
the wave peak crossing frequency. The impact of the
model uncertainties with lowered support structure
frequencies on the up scaled turbines was brought out.

References

hu xx
The first order (u1) and second order (u2) wave particle velocities:

wx

The wave cut-off frequency is of great importance in

the determination of wave loads and a robust method to
set cut-off frequencies is desired.
For jacket platforms, the design loads are
encountered when waves strike 3 faces of the platform
obliquely. The phase difference between the waves at
the different jacket legs must be considered.

The first 4 stochastic moments are derived:

2N

Mean

mx

j
j 1
2N

Variation

2
x

2
j

2
j

j 1

Skewness

Kurtosis

1
3x

4x

2N

3
x j 1

(6

2
j

3
j

8 )

2N

4
x j 1

(48

2
j

2
j

4
j

48 )

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