ROCKWIND · Innovative Rocking-Based Design Optimization for Onshore Wind Turbine Foundations under Multihazard Loading

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Project objective

This project proposes a transformative approach to the design of onshore wind turbine foundations by introducing and optimizing rocking-based solutions under multihazard loading conditions. Traditional design methods assume rigid foundation behavior and enforce a no-gapping criterion, often leading to over-conservative or suboptimal designs that fail to account for nonlinear soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects, especially under extreme wind and seismic events. As turbine sizes grow and climate-induced hazards become more frequent, current deterministic approaches fall short in ensuring resilience, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.The project advances the state-of-the-art by developing high-fidelity finite element (FE) models that incorporate nonlinear SSI, contact mechanics, and controlled rocking at the foundation and tower interfaces. These models will be validated using real-world failure cases and experimental tests on scaled prototypes. Novel semi-rigid and energy-dissipating connection strategies will be explored to enable controlled deformation and reduce damaging forces during dynamic events.In parallel, a comprehensive reliability-based multihazard risk framework will be established, leveraging probabilistic methods such as Monte Carlo simulations and FORM/SORM techniques to quantify performance under stochastic loading. This will enable the generation of fragility curves and optimized foundation configurations tailored to site-specific hazard profiles and soil conditions.By integrating computational mechanics, geotechnical engineering, structural dynamics, and probabilistic risk analysis, the project will deliver design guidelines and decision-support tools for resilient wind turbine foundation systems. The outcomes aim to inform future standards and support the transition to more robust and adaptive renewable energy infrastructure.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE · GlasgowCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
• ESB INNOVATION ROI LIMITED · DublinIreland
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA · RomaItaly

Links

• View on CORDIS
• DOI: 10.3030/101278272