Session: 09-02-02 Wind Energy: Mooring System II

Submission Number: 181661

Investigation of the Effects of Mooring Line Failure on Shared-Mooring Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Array 

Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (FOWTs) are considered a feasible solution for harnessing wind energy in deep water regions and can be applicable in areas where conventional fixed bottom turbines are difficult to install. However, extreme weather events may cause mooring line failures, posing risks to structural integrity and system safety. Understanding the dynamic behavior following mooring line failure is therefore essential for ensuring long-term system reliability and guiding robust design strategies. Although several studies have examined FOWT responses under normal operating conditions, relatively few have addressed the post-failure dynamics of mooring systems, especially in shared mooring configurations connecting multiple turbines. Such analyses are important for risk assessment, control strategies, and overall system survivability under extreme conditions.

This study aims to investigate the effects of mooring line failure on a shared mooring FOWT array. The IEA 15 MW reference wind turbine mounted on the UMaine VolturnUS-S semi-submersible platform is modeled using FAST.Farm. FAST.Farm enables simulation of turbine arrays sharing mooring lines and anchors, allowing evaluation of interactions and load  redistribution among turbines when a mooring line breaks, and comparison with a single turbine case. The wind and wave time series data measured off the west coast of Taiwan by the Central Weather Bureau are used as environmental inputs for the simulations. The outcomes of this study will contribute to a fundamental understanding of FOWT dynamic behavior under mooring line failure, serving as a foundation for future research on design, control, and reliability assessment.

Presenting Author: Yanlin Chen National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Presenting Author Biography: Yanlin Chen is a master student and research assistant at the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.

Authors:

Yanlin Chen National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Hao Huang National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Yi-Hsiang Yu National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Yon-Ni Xu National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University