Two coast projects in France: off shore wind turbines vibrations under waves load

Abstract

Abstract:Vibration analysis of a wind turbine system establishes a main natural frequency of 4.23 s. This main frequency is close to ocean surface wave frequency in the windy Picardie region, north of France. This region has been selected by the French government to host one of the biggest offshore wind farm named the "Two-coast project". A brief study of marine conditions in this area provided us with numerical data to compute typical wave loading to be applied to the wind turbine system. Our finite element study evaluates the stress of the wave loading to be around 36 MPa in the mast. Within these conditions, a wind turbine remains under steel elastic limit up to 200 MPa However wind and tide level impact should now be taken into account for a complete study.