OFFSHORE WIND FARMS & RENEWABLES
Researchers at Heriot-Watt University have developed an advanced simulation tool that accurately predicts underwater landslides caused by offshore wind turbines.
The new method enables developers to assess seabed stability not only at the design stage but throughout a wind farm’s lifespan, helping to optimise placement and ensure long-term resilience.
Underwater landslides—when sections of the seabed suddenly shiſt—can impact the stability of wind turbines, particularly in areas with soſt seabeds and gentle slopes.
While engineering structures like monopiles (the foundations of some offshore wind turbines) can contribute to seabed stress, predicting the extent of this effect has been challenging.
The Heriot-Watt tool quickly and precisely identifies potential landslide zones, helping developers strengthen seabed stability and avoid costly downtime.
OFFSHORE WIND FARMS & RENEWABLES
New Method Quickly Assesses Underwater Landslide Risk For Offshore Turbines
Qingping Zou, Professor of Coastal Dynamics at Heriot- Watt University’s Lyell Centre, said: “Offshore wind farms represent millions of pounds of investment and have the potential to transform our energy supply.
“To protect these assets, developers need accurate and efficient tools to assess seabed stability—not just when choosing turbine locations, but as an ongoing part of wind farm operations and monitoring.
“Our method gives a clear understanding and fast prediction of how the seabed will respond once turbines are in place, ensuring that sites are most suitable and projects remain safe, resilient and productive.”
Predicting seabed shiſts at every stage The Heriot-Watt tool combines soil mechanics theory with a shear strength reduction method to analyse how the seabed holds together under stress.
Benjian Song, a PhD student at Heriot-Watt, said: “We tested our method on 3D models of the ocean floor, including real-world locations like Silver Pit, off the coast of Lincolnshire—a region with a history of submarine landslides.
“Our tool maps potential landslide zones and assesses how turbine foundations influence seabed conditions over time. Crucially, it also solves a major issue for existing models, which struggle to simulate multiple landslides occurring simultaneously.”
Foundations and storms influence seabed stability The research highlights how turbines’ foundations and storm activity influence seabed stability.
Dr Cathal Cummins explained: “Monopiles, which are large steel cylinders driven into the seabed, are widely used to anchor offshore wind turbines.
“Our simulations show that these structures create stress concentrations that can affect long-term seabed stability.
“We also found that increasing the diameter and depth of monopiles enhances overall slope stability, offering a potential design solution to mitigate risk.
“Storms further weaken the seabed, and the dynamic loads transferred through monopiles can reduce soil strength.
“Our tool allows developers to factor in these effects and make decisions about wind farm resilience.”
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www.sosmagazine.biz May Issue 2025
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