Software for predicting hydrodynamic pressures on offshore pile foundations: the next step in ocean energy development

Abstract

Se realiza un estudio de los análisis hidrodinámicos en dominio de Morison y de difracción aplicado en eólica marina en monopilotes y estructuras de gravedad.
The purpose of this study is to carry out a thorough, critical analysis of the Morison equation as far as calculating
wave action on large diameter piles like those used nowadays in offshore wind farms is concerned. The aim is to
observe whether models currently used to estimate wave forces on piles are valid for large diameter piles apart from
observing what the main forces in play in scouring are. This equation enables wave produced forces on a cylinder
supported on the sea bed to be calculated. The study includes observations on the calculation model’s sensitivity as to
a variation in the cylinder’s diameter, on the one hand and, on the other, as to temperature and salinity variation.
With this in mind, specific software has been developed to simulate equations in fluid mechanics applied to solve the
wave–structure interaction problem in the separation, inertial and diffraction range. This software will enable an
iterative calculation to be made for finding out the shape of the pressure wave caused when a wave passes over and
will show the results for different pile diameters and water temperature.