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SEISMIC PERFORMANCE OF FIXED-BOTTOM AND FLOATING OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES
Upasana Nath,Maria James & Sumanta Haldar
Paper No.: 601
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Vol.: 62
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No.: 3
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September, 2025
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pp. 165-179
Abstract
This study evaluates the seismic performance of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) under bi-directional
earthquake loading, focusing on both fixed-bottom and floating structures. For fixed-bottom OWTs,
time-history analyses were conducted to assess dynamic responses of jacket supported OWTs considering
two horizontal seismic components. The results were compared to those obtained using the percentage
combination rules (30% and 40%) from building codes. It was found that the 30% combination rule
reasonably predicts tower top displacement and rotation, with differences of 3% to 25% compared to
time-history analysis. Additionally, a fragility analysis of jacketed OWTs was performed to evaluate
seismic vulnerability under different damage states based on serviceability and ultimate limit states. The
results show that tower-top drift is more vulnerable in the serviceability limit state compared to the ultimate
limit state, particularly for low to high levels of earthquake intensity. For floating wind turbines, the study
performed a coupled multi-directional seismic analysis of a Tension Leg Platform (TLP) wind turbine.
TLPs were found to be highly susceptible to pulse-like ground motions, mainly due to large velocity pulses.
Additionally, the variability in responses increased with peak ground acceleration, highlighting the need
for larger safety margins in high seismic risk areas. Seismic vulnerability assessments indicate that jacket
structures exhibit higher susceptibility to seismic shaking compared to Tension Leg Platform (TLP) floating
wind turbines. The study provides valuable insights for improving the seismic design of OWTs, offering
targeted risk mitigation strategies to enhance safety and structural resilience in earthquake-prone regions.
Keywords: Fragility analysis; Ground motion directionality; Incremental dynamic analysis; Jacket; Offshore wind turbine; Percentage combination rule; TLP
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