Optimization of monopile offshore wind structures

ABSTRACT: As industrialization is essential for large-scale offshore wind deployment, a computerized
methodology to optimize the scantling of monopile steel structures has been developed using a genetic alg
rithm. The objective functions of this tool are minimization of the structure weight and production costs. The
constraints implemented are mainly related to structural stability under extreme loads, resonance check of the
wind turbine support and fatigue strength at welded connections between shells and stiffeners. This optimiz
tion should be invoked at the preliminary stage of the offshore project in order to assess the impacts of the
structure design on the fabrication and installation costs.