An innovative method of assessing yield strength of floater hull for semi-submersible floating wind turbine in whole life period

Abstract

The concepts of external and internal corrosion damage of materials have been proposed, and the improved corrosion damage models considering marine corrosion zone have been established. Then, a new method of assessing yield strength of floater hull for semi-submersible floating wind turbine considering the effect of corrosion damage in whole life period is proposed based on the equivalent design wave and structural quasi-static analysis method. Taking the OC4 floating wind turbine foundation for example, this new assessment method has been conducted. The results show that the stresses and displacements of structures will be increased under the influence of corrosion damage in whole life period and the risk of structural failure is also increased due to the corrosion damage. The structures which locate in the high stress level region will up to the yield failure critical point (yield strength margin is close to zero) by the end of service period if just considering the external corrosion damage, and these structures may fail due to yield after 18–22 years of service if considering the external and internal corrosion damage simultaneously. Therefore, the corrosion damages (especially the internal corrosion damage) have produced an important effect on the structural yield strength. In addition, the value of material factor γm = 1.1 (given by DNVGL-ST-0119) is small, and the suggested value is 1.25–1.3 for the structures in high stress level region.