FOUNDATIONS FOR OFFSHORE WIND TOWERS Marissa Blakley YES Prep Public Schools – East End Campus...
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FOUNDATIONS FOR OFFSHORE WIND TOWERS Marissa Blakley YES Prep Public Schools – East End Campus Houston, Texas Dr. Giovanna Biscontin & Dr. Charles Aubeny Department of Civil Engineering
FOUNDATIONS FOR OFFSHORE WIND TOWERS Marissa Blakley YES Prep Public Schools – East End Campus Houston, Texas Dr. Giovanna Biscontin & Dr. Charles Aubeny
FOUNDATIONS FOR OFFSHORE WIND TOWERS Marissa Blakley YES Prep
Public Schools East End Campus Houston, Texas Dr. Giovanna
Biscontin & Dr. Charles Aubeny Department of Civil
Engineering
Slide 2
DR. GIOVANNA BISCONTIN Associate Professor, Department of Civil
Engineering Bachelors Degree from the University of Padova, Italy
Masters Degree from the University of California, Berkeley PhD from
the University of California, Berkeley Research Interests: Dynamic
response of soils, earthquake engineering, seismic slope stability,
experimental methods for characterization of soil behavior,
numerical methods and modeling in geomechanics, soft soils,
offshore geotechnics, and deep soil mixing.
https://ceprofs.civil.tamu.edu/gbiscontin/
Slide 3
DR. CHARLES AUBENY Associate Professor, Geotechnical
Engineering Bachelors Degree from the University of Arizona Masters
Degree from the University of Colorado at Denver PhD from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Interests:
Foundations and anchors for offshore structures, offshore risers
and pipelines, slopes and retaining walls, dams and levees,
expansive soils, and numerical methods in geotechnical engineering.
https://ceprofs.civil.tamu.edu/caubeny/
Slide 4
THE RESEARCH TEAM Madahuri Murali Marissa Blakley Silvia Vital
Francisco Grajales Ryan Beemer
Slide 5
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING A branch of civil engineering
concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials that
uses principles of soil and rock mechanics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geotechnical_engineering
Slide 6
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Investigate subsurface conditions and
materials. Determine the relevant physical, mechanical and chemical
properties of these materials. Evaluate stability of natural slopes
and man-made soil deposits. Assess risks posed by site conditions.
Design earthworks and structure foundations.
Slide 7
http://whatiscivilengineering.csce.ca/geotechnical.htm
IMPORTANCE OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Leaning Tower of Pisa Italy
Railway Track Failure due to Earthquake Loading Natural Disasters
such as Vaoint Dam in Italy
Slide 8
WHY OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING? POPULATION DENSITY IN
2007 Esteban, 2011
Slide 9
WHY OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING? POPULATION DENSITY IN
2030 Esteban, 2011
Slide 10
COMMON OFFSHORE OIL-GAS SYSTEMS Texas A&M University,
Department of Civil Engineering
Slide 11
WHY OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY? With more and more interest in
renewable energy sources, countries have begun to look offshore to
fulfill energy needs. Currently, wind energy makes up 2% of the
global energy supply and is expected to grow by 160% in the next
five years. By 2050, 80% of the worlds energy supply in developing
countries could come from renewable sources with wind playing a
major role in electricity generation.
http://www.treehugger.com/corporate-responsibility/offshore-wind-
farms-to-power-15th-of-europe-by-2030.html Sun, 2012
Slide 12
OFFSHORE BENEFITS Usher in a new industry and economic
development Support our nations goal of energy security Support the
fight against climate change Stabilize power prices Eliminates more
than 650,000 tons/year of carbon dioxide Diversification of energy
Wind over water is stronger, more consistent & smoother than
wind over land Less concern regarding noise & visual
appeal
Slide 13
WIND TURBINES One 1.8 megawatt wind turbine can produce up to
4.7 million units of electricity per year. This amount could meet
the annual needs of up to 1,000 households.
Slide 14
CONSTRUCTION OF AN OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE
Slide 15
THE RESEARCH QUESTION How does the monopiles interaction with
the soft clay at the bottom of the ocean affect the stabilization
of the wind turbine?
Slide 16
OUR PROBLEM The strong lateral forces present at sea cause wind
turbines to vibrate, or rock back and forth. These vibrations cause
the soil at the bottom of the ocean to weaken, creating a vertical
angle between the pile and ocean floor. If this angle exceeds 5 o,
the wind turbine stops producing energy. Texas A&M University,
Department of Civil Engineering
Slide 17
THE RESEARCH GOAL Characterize the behavior of soil so that
engineers can make smart, sustainable choices when constructing
offshore wind farms. http://inhabitat.com/
MINI-SHEAR VANE TEST Voltage * Calibration Factor = Torque
Slide 21
PROJECT SUMMARY Based on the new market of offshore wind
energy, we must study the interaction between the wind turbines
monopile and the soft clays at the ocean floor. Studying these
interactions will allow engineers to make cost- effective and
sustainable decisions when installing wind farms in the near
future.
Slide 22
CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS Student-Constructed Wind Turbines Soil
Strength Simulation 20-gallon aquarium filled with multi-colored
sand Vertical force applied to sand Students able to see when soil
fails Student-Led Data Collection Using Custom-Built Pressure Gauge
PreCalculus Data and Functional Analysis
Slide 23
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Slide 24
SPECIAL THANKS Dr. Giovanna Biscontin Dr. Charles Aubeny Ryan
Beemer Madahuri Murali Francisco Grajales Silvia Vital E3 Team
