CableProtect - Particle-based analysis of sediment movements in the area of the foundation structure and their influence on the cable dynamics
| Operational time: | 01.09.2023 - 31.08.2026 |
| Sponsor: | Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, 7. Energy Research program "Innovations for the energy transition", funding code 03EE2059B |
| Resonsible: | Shervin Samadi, MSc. |
| Partner: | Development Centre for Ship Technology and Transport (DST) ESOS Wind GmbH |
| ass. Partner: | EnBW Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) Mibau Holding GmbH |
Brief Desription:
The joint project "Solutions for cable damage avoidance in the vicinity of offshore foundations taking into account Fluid-Structure-Soil Interaction (CableProtect)" is dedicated to the complex interactions between power cable, foundation element, scour protection and seabed in the connection area of the cable to the support structure. The reason for this were damages of significant magnitude, especially to the protection system of the submarine power cables. These damages are due to hydrodynamic processes in the vicinity of the foundation structures. Waves and currents cause movements of the freely suspended cable there, which also affect the part of the cable that rests on scour protection or seabed. Outside the scour protection, sediment movements and the formation of edge scour occur, which have a reciprocal influence on the cable movements and lead to positional instabilities. The sub-project "Particle-based analysis of sediment movements in the area of the foundation structure and their influence on the cable dynamics (CableProtect-Sediment)" is dedicated to hydrodynamically induced sediment movements in the area where the cable rests on the scour protection and the seafloor. With coupled CFD-DEM modelling, an innovative approach is used to investigate processes such as erosion and scouring at the micro-scale of the grains and thus gain new insights into their acting mechanisms. By coupling with the fluid-structure models of the collaborative partners, the influences from the oscillating power cable as well as from foundation structure and scour protection can be represented under realistic boundary conditions. The aim of this subproject is to develop scientifically validated and practicable design rules for the geomechanical aspects of the cable connection on the basis of an improved understanding of the sediment movement processes and thus to contribute to a higher reliability of offshore wind turbines.