A Review of Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Bolted Flange Connections in the Offshore Wind Industry
The use of bolted flange connections in the offshore wind industry has steeply risen in the last few years. This trend is because of failings observed in other modes of joints such as grouted joints, coupled with enormous economic losses associated with such failures. As many aspects of bolted flang...
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doaj-02d496252be1485ab2715743d089e42a2020-11-25T03:18:12ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012020-06-011073273210.3390/met10060732A Review of Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Bolted Flange Connections in the Offshore Wind IndustryAli Mehmanparast0Saeid Lotfian1Sukumara Pillai Vipin2Offshore Renewable Energy Engineering Centre, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UKNaval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering Department, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UKAsset Integrity Management Section, TWI Ltd., Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6AL, UKThe use of bolted flange connections in the offshore wind industry has steeply risen in the last few years. This trend is because of failings observed in other modes of joints such as grouted joints, coupled with enormous economic losses associated with such failures. As many aspects of bolted flange connections for the offshore wind industry are yet to be understood in full, the current study undertakes a comprehensive review of the lessons learned about bolted connections from a range of industries such as nuclear, aerospace, and onshore wind for application in offshore wind industry. Subsequently, the collected information could be used to effectively address and investigate ways to improve bolted flange connections in the offshore wind industry. As monopiles constitute an overwhelming majority of foundation types used in the current offshore wind market, this work focusses on large diameter flanges in the primary load path of a wind turbine foundation, such as those typically found at the base of turbine towers, or at monopile to transition piece connections. Finally, a summary of issues associated with flanges as well as bolted connections is provided, and insights are recommended on the direction to be followed to address these concerns.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/10/6/732bolted jointsoffshore wind turbinespreloadshort-term relaxationfailure mechanisms |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Ali Mehmanparast Saeid Lotfian Sukumara Pillai Vipin |
spellingShingle |
Ali Mehmanparast Saeid Lotfian Sukumara Pillai Vipin A Review of Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Bolted Flange Connections in the Offshore Wind Industry Metals bolted joints offshore wind turbines preload short-term relaxation failure mechanisms |
author_facet |
Ali Mehmanparast Saeid Lotfian Sukumara Pillai Vipin |
author_sort |
Ali Mehmanparast |
title |
A Review of Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Bolted Flange Connections in the Offshore Wind Industry |
title_short |
A Review of Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Bolted Flange Connections in the Offshore Wind Industry |
title_full |
A Review of Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Bolted Flange Connections in the Offshore Wind Industry |
title_fullStr |
A Review of Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Bolted Flange Connections in the Offshore Wind Industry |
title_full_unstemmed |
A Review of Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Bolted Flange Connections in the Offshore Wind Industry |
title_sort |
review of challenges and opportunities associated with bolted flange connections in the offshore wind industry |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Metals |
issn |
2075-4701 |
publishDate |
2020-06-01 |
description |
The use of bolted flange connections in the offshore wind industry has steeply risen in the last few years. This trend is because of failings observed in other modes of joints such as grouted joints, coupled with enormous economic losses associated with such failures. As many aspects of bolted flange connections for the offshore wind industry are yet to be understood in full, the current study undertakes a comprehensive review of the lessons learned about bolted connections from a range of industries such as nuclear, aerospace, and onshore wind for application in offshore wind industry. Subsequently, the collected information could be used to effectively address and investigate ways to improve bolted flange connections in the offshore wind industry. As monopiles constitute an overwhelming majority of foundation types used in the current offshore wind market, this work focusses on large diameter flanges in the primary load path of a wind turbine foundation, such as those typically found at the base of turbine towers, or at monopile to transition piece connections. Finally, a summary of issues associated with flanges as well as bolted connections is provided, and insights are recommended on the direction to be followed to address these concerns. |
topic |
bolted joints offshore wind turbines preload short-term relaxation failure mechanisms |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/10/6/732 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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