Author(s): Renat Yulmetov; Jan Thijssen; Hamid Shayanfar; Mark Howell; Mike Paulin
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Sea Ice; Ice-Structure Interaction
Abstract: One of the design-limiting factors for offshore wind turbines off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador is the presence of pack ice. Various ice-structure interaction scenarios are possible depending on the pack ice conditions, and the design load will be defined by the highest-load scenario. The challenge here is to characterize the environment in the remote locations, and determine the exposure to certain pack ice conditions. This study looks into various data sources, trying to characterize pack ice conditions, and compares the calculated design loads. The data sources include Canadian Ice Service (CIS) charts, satellite imagery and Upward-Looking Sonar (ULS) measurements. It is found that CIS charts are too coarse and conservative for load calculations; however, they cover 15 years of data. Satellite imagery is very useful for determining ice floe sizes, but covers a shorter period of time. Finally, the sonar-based spot measurements are a valuable source of ice draft data; however, they are limited in time and location. The resulting ice loads calculated using these three data sources may reach up to a magnitude in difference, which calls for a thorough approach to environmental characterization.
Year: 2022