A novel analytical model coupling hydrodynamic-structural-material scales for very large floating photovoltaic support structures

Abstract

Floating solar farms are emerging as a viable option for large-scale solar power production. Considering the sustained wave action and the low deadweight of solar power components, a lightweight and high-stiffness floating platform, composed of an ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC) surface panel and an expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam bottom panel, was designed as a large area and controllable cost bilayered structure. An analytical model coupling hydrodynamic-structural-material multiple scales was proposed for the highly efficient and accurate design of the floating structure. The microstructural and elastoplastic parameters of the UHPC were coupled utilizing the representative volume element (RVE) method, in which the parameterized relations between the microscale configuration and homogenized elastoplasticity of materials were obtained. For the coupling material-structure analysis, an equivalent homogenized model for the dynamics of the floating bilayered structure was deduced according to the heterogeneous interface continuity condition, in which the microstructures of the UHPC layer were introduced through the parameterized relations. A novel hydrodynamic theoretical model coupling of the macro-wave action, mesostructure, and micromaterial was established through this equivalent dynamics method. As an illustration, this hydrodynamic-structural-material coupled analytical model was utilized to design and optimize floating photovoltaic support structures. The dynamic responses and internal strain of a floating bilayer structure were directly calculated, and the plastic area was predicted and optimized for a smaller amplitude, which relied on the interactivity of the material configurations, structural parameters, bilayered features, and wave conditions. The results from the theoretical model not only realized the analysis and optimization of floating structures but also demonstrated that the hydrodynamic-structural-material coupled analytical model has great potential for designing large floating structures of solar photovoltaics.