The German Research Foundation has given the green light for the extension of the special research centre ‘Offshore Megastructures’ led by Leibniz Universität Hannover (LUH). In addition to LUH, the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, the German Aerospace Centre and the Technical Universities of Darmstadt and Dresden are also involved in the second funding period. At LUH, the Faculties of Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics and Physics are involved. The majority of the participating institutes at Leibniz University Hannover and Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg are already networked in the ForWind research association. The CRC has already been funded with around 8.5 million euros from 2021 to 2024. The second funding period runs from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2028.
Results of the first funding period
The progress made during the first funding period has convinced the DFG to continue the funding of the CRC. Among other things, the scientists have so far provided a first digital twin that takes into account the loads - the effects of air, wave and current forces as well as the interaction with the seabed - to which megastructures in the sea are exposed. In doing so, they have made great progress towards the real-time capability of the non-linear model. They have also developed new methods for recognising damage at an early stage. These are based on machine learning algorithms that are reinforced by physical knowledge.
Examples of results to date include the developement of a new concept for ultra-slim rotors of megastructures, which allows significantly more energy to be generated even at low wind speeds. "By this we have made a significant contribution to more constant energy generation from renewable energies", says CRC speaker Prof. Dr. Raimund Rolfes of the LUH. The CRC team achieved further significant results in the areas of realistic description of wave and wind loads, the design of optimised support structures and their permanent anchoring in the seabed, and efficient installability.
Outlook on the second funding period
In the second funding period, the primary focus will be on validating and verifying the new methods. The research will be carried out in the large wave current channel (GWK+) at the Coastal Research Centre in Hanover, which was newly expanded during the first funding period and is the only one of its kind in the world. Measurements will also be carried out at a new onshore research wind farm as well as an offshore wind farm.
