Windports
WindPorts is a project based on the design of new concrete caissons for the construction of port breakwaters intended to host wind farms. It is an R&D project supported by IVACE במסגרת the Cooperative R&D Projects Program, co‑funded by FEDER funds of the Valencian Community 2014–2020.
To date, several wind farms have been installed on port protection structures worldwide, but always on rubble mound breakwaters. The main innovation proposed by this project is the design of a concrete maritime caisson that allows the installation and foundation of wind turbines on these vertical quay structures.
In this context, ROVER addressed the challenge of designing a concrete caisson capable of fulfilling this function. To do so, the optimal wind turbine was determined and the loads acting on the caisson were calculated as a preliminary step in its development. A new model of maritime caisson with circular cells was designed, specifically conceived to accommodate the foundation of a wind turbine.
The project also considers the possibility of modifying existing caissons so that such adaptations enable the installation of wind turbines while meeting all necessary requirements.
The proposed caisson designs for wind turbine foundations were modeled using finite element software, considering service conditions. Several designs meeting the required criteria were established, mainly following two different strategies: deep foundation and shallow foundation.
