Danish consultancy Cowi has been providing support to Royal BAM Group companies on the development of gravity base foundations for offshore wind turbines.
The foundations will utilise ‘self-installing’ technology developed by BAM Nuttall and BAM Infra.
BAM Infraconsult has designed the foundations, with Cowi providing assistance with geotechnical interpretation, ground assessment, numerical modelling and wind and wave load combination since 2015.
Cowi said its input has been from tender stage through to the recent successful award of a contract with EDF Energy Renewables to design, fabricate and install five full-size gravity base foundations.
The foundations will support wind turbines totalling 41.5MW off the Northumberland coast in England for the Blyth offshore demonstrator.
The project is scheduled for completion during summer 2017 with the installation of the gravity base foundations of 30m diameter and 60m height in approximately 40m water depth.
The composite concrete and steel foundations weigh about 13,000 tonnes in situ on the seabed, Cowi said.
The foundations will support five MHI Vestas 8.3MW turbines.
Image: MHI Vestas
