Precast Wind Turbine Foundation Structure Adapted to Soil Variability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine foundation designs do not account for varying soil conditions, requiring redesign and increasing costs and time due to non-uniform ground properties across a wind farm.
Innovation Solution
A system for manufacturing an adaptable precast foundation structure that adjusts to soil conditions using adjustable molds to create ribs and plinths, allowing for standardized production and easy adaptation to geotechnical variations, reducing time and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a custom foundation design is created for each wind turbine to account for varying soil conditions, then the foundation can be adapted to local geotechnical conditions, but the manufacturing time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The foundation is divided into modular components: a standardized base structure and variable rib elements. The rib elements can be independently manufactured and assembled, allowing customization for different soil conditions without redesigning the entire foundation. This segmentation enables standardization of common components while maintaining adaptability through modular variation.
Solution Approach 2:
A universal base structure and rib design are created that can serve multiple foundation types. The system uses standardized connection interfaces and modular components that can be configured for different soil conditions, eliminating the need for completely custom designs for each location while maintaining adaptability.
2Reliability
If the foundation design is customized for each specific location to match ground properties, then structural integrity is optimized, but the complexity of design and manufacturing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The foundation design applies local quality by allowing specific rib elements to be varied in length, orientation, or configuration to match local soil conditions, while the overall base structure remains standardized. This enables optimization for local conditions without increasing the complexity of the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains structural integrity by allowing parameter variations (such as rib length, spacing, or orientation) within a standardized design framework. These parameter changes can be easily adjusted based on soil conditions without requiring complete redesign, thus maintaining reliability while controlling complexity.
3Productivity
If standardized foundation components are used across all wind turbine locations, then manufacturing efficiency and cost are reduced, but the foundation cannot be adapted to varying soil conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The foundation system incorporates dynamic adaptability through modular rib elements that can be configured in different arrangements based on soil conditions. The standardized base structure provides manufacturing efficiency, while the variable rib components enable adaptation, creating a dynamic system that balances standardization with customization.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for manufacturing an adaptable precast foundation structure for a wind turbine is configured taking into account the wind turbine loads and soil conditions allowing that a large part of the foundation structure is homogenized, despite the fact that the transition structure being manufactured with the system is dependent of the type of soil and that the size of said transition structure varies depending on the soil, making it easily adaptable to the geotechnical conditions of each wind turbine position of the windfarm which allows a significant reduction in time and cost. The method and system for manufacturing an adaptable precast foundation structure for a wind turbine and related wind-turbine and method and precast foundation structure.