Numerical and data-driven modeling of mooring ropes for floating offshore wind turbine arrays

Yimin Lu, Assistant Professor, Texas Tech University

Background and significance

Mooring systems are critical components of offshore wind energy infrastructure, ensuring the stability and positioning of floating platforms in dynamic marine environments. As the demand for offshore wind energy grows, particularly in deeper waters, there is an increasing need for advanced modeling techniques to optimize mooring rope performance. Mooring ropes are subjected to complex forces, including wave-induced motions, wind loads, and tidal currents, leading to wear, fatigue, and potential failure over time. Accurate modeling of these ropes enables the prediction of their mechanical behavior, durability, and interaction with the environment. This project aims to develop and validate computational and data-driven models to simulate the performance of mooring ropes under real-world operating conditions, incorporating factors such as material properties, load variations, and environmental impacts. The insights gained will support the design of cost-effective and sustainable mooring solutions for the next generation of offshore wind energy systems.

REU student involvement

REU students will gain hands-on experience in finite element modeling and/or data-driven modeling to analyze the mechanical behavior of floating offshore wind mooring lines, including model development, validation, data processing, and optimization.

Figure 1: Demonstration of floating offshore wind mooring lines and examples of the materials and its simulation.