OPTIMIZATION OF QUATROPOD JACKET SUPPORT STRUCTURES FOR OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES SUBJECT TO SEISMIC LOADS USING GENETIC ALGORITHMS

Abstract eng:
This paper presents evolutionary-based least-weight topology and size optimization procedure for designing offshore wind turbine supporting structures. A modified version of Genetic Algorithms is presented herein. The GA technique is used for solving the nonlinear constrained optimization problem of 3D quatropod jacket offshore support structure. In this optimum design formulation, the objective function is the material weight of the supporting truss; the design variables are the locations of the ends of the truss members as well as the cross-sectional areas of the truss members. The constraints are the stresses in members and the displacements of the joints. The constraints are handled using non-stationary (dynamically modified) penalty functions. The quatropod jacket, one of the most commonly used design alternatives for offshore supporting structures is presented as demonstration to the efficiency of the presented GA algorithm. The quatropod jacket test problem is subjected to gravity, wind, wave and earthquake loading conditions. The results show that the GA method is efficient in finding the best discovered optimal solution [structural topology and weight].

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