Modelling and Testing of Hinged Connected VLFS with Applicability to Offshore Renewables
摘要
This chapter explores the role of very large floating structures (VLFS) in advancing offshore renewable energy solutions. Initially, the focus is on VLFS as foundations for wind turbines, highlighting their potential to support multiple turbines, thereby reducing installation costs and the number of mooring lines. Additionally, other applications of large floating structures in offshore renewable energy are discussed. While VLFS face challenges such as significant wave loading, the incorporation of hinge connections is proposed as an effective strategy to mitigate these effects. The chapter also provides an overview of numerical modelling and experimental testing methodologies for VLFS. Finally, the outlook for VLFS in offshore renewables is examined, emphasizing their potential to lower the levelized cost of energy for offshore arrays while maintaining structural reliability—key factors driving the innovative concepts presented in this chapter.