Advancing Structural Design Optimization of Wind Turbine Foundations and Support Structures

Abstract

The growing demand for sustainable energy sources has significantly propelled wind energy development as a viable and environmentally friendly alternative. Despite significant advancements in this sector over the past few years, little attention has been directed towards the advancement and innovation of its foundations and support structures, which are pivotal for ensuring the reliability and longevity of wind energy systems. Structural topology optimization methods offer promising avenues for innovation, addressing the imperative for heightened structural efficiency in wind energy applications. This project aims to develop topology optimization methodologies for wind turbine foundations and support structures, incorporating crucial considerations of manufacturing constraints and validating outcomes through experimental testing. For that, the TOBS (Topology Optimization of Binary Structures) method is employed to solve the optimization problem using binary design variables {0,1} and sequential integer linear programming. Two types of structures will be approached: onshore structural foundations and truss-like offshore supports, both of which have not been explored in the existing literature. The goal is to overcome gaps and contribute to direct advances in the wind energy field as well as valuable insights for topology optimization in general. Applications considering three-dimensional (3D) designs and real design loads will be explored to highlight the potential of the proposed methodologies. Furthermore, experimental tests will be conducted to assess and validate the effectiveness of the obtained optimized designs. The research abroad should be supervised by Prof. Josephine Carstensen at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), providing relevant scientific progress for the ongoing project and the research community as a whole.