At Windbase we believe that we can contribute to the wind energy market by providing optimised and reliable wind turbine foundation designs within competitive lead times. We use advanced engineering tools such as 3D nonlinear finite element analysis to achieve this. In this short blog Lex van der Meer, FEA specialist at Windbase, explains about the benefits and challenges of using advanced engineering methods in commercial projects.

Benefits

Windbase has been engineering wind turbine foundations since 1983. Our engineering approach has evolved from simple analytical models via 2D plate models to advanced nonlinear 3D solid models. Our advanced engineering approach has given us more insight in the complex structural behaviour, which we are willing to share. Moreover our advanced engineering approach results in significant savings on construction and material costs, environmental impact and improves the constructability compared to traditional design methods.

Challenges

Applying advanced engineering methods in commercial projects can be challenging. Lead times are often crucial for clients. Therefore we invest in process optimisation and automation to achieve lead times comparable to those of traditional design methods. To convince ourselves and others that our engineering approach is reliable and accurate, we continuously invest in validation studies. This results in a broader acceptance of our advanced engineering methods.

Webinar

For a more in-depth explanation of our advanced engineering approach and a glimpse at the future of wind turbine foundation design, have a look at this webinar by Lex van der Meer from Windbase, hosted by DIANA FEA.