Probabilistic cost modeling as a basis for optimizing inspection and maintenance of turbine support structures in offshore wind farms
<p>The operational management of offshore wind farms includes inspection and maintenance (I&M) of the wind turbine support structures. These activities are complex and influenced by numerous uncertain factors that affect their costs. The uncertainty in the I&M costs should be c...
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| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Wind Energy Science |
| Online Access: | https://wes.copernicus.org/articles/10/461/2025/wes-10-461-2025.pdf |
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| author | M. Farhan R. Schneider S. Thöns S. Thöns M. Gündel |
| author_facet | M. Farhan R. Schneider S. Thöns S. Thöns M. Gündel |
| author_sort | M. Farhan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>The operational management of offshore wind farms includes inspection and maintenance (I&M) of the wind turbine support structures. These activities are complex and influenced by numerous uncertain factors that affect their costs. The uncertainty in the I&M costs should be considered in decision value analyses performed to optimize I&M strategies for the turbine support structures. In this paper, we formulate a probabilistic parametric model to describe I&M costs for the common case in which a wind farm is serviced and maintained using a workboat-based strategy. The model is developed based on (a) interviews with a wind farm operator, engineering consultants, and operation and maintenance engineers, as well as (b) scientific literature. Our methodology involves deriving the probabilistic models of the cost model parameters based on intervals representing a subjective expert opinion on the foreseeable ranges of the parameter values. The probabilistic cost model is applied to evaluate the total I&M costs, and a sensitivity analysis is conducted to identify the main cost drivers. The model can be utilized to optimize I&M strategies at the component, structural system, and wind farm level. To illustrate its potential use, we apply it in a numerical study in which we optimize I&M strategies at the structural system level and identify and demonstrate a simplified approach of capturing uncertain I&M costs in the optimization. The simplified approach is generalized and made available for maintenance cost optimization of offshore wind turbine structures.</p> |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-99e8af238d904677b15e0bae2c842cd4 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2366-7443 2366-7451 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wind Energy Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-99e8af238d904677b15e0bae2c842cd42025-08-20T02:15:24ZengCopernicus PublicationsWind Energy Science2366-74432366-74512025-02-011046148110.5194/wes-10-461-2025Probabilistic cost modeling as a basis for optimizing inspection and maintenance of turbine support structures in offshore wind farmsM. Farhan0R. Schneider1S. Thöns2S. Thöns3M. Gündel4Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Berlin, GermanyBundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Berlin, GermanyBundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Berlin, GermanyDivision of Structural Engineering, Lund University, Lund, SwedenChair of Steel Construction, Helmut-Schmidt-Universität/Universität der Bundeswehr Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany<p>The operational management of offshore wind farms includes inspection and maintenance (I&M) of the wind turbine support structures. These activities are complex and influenced by numerous uncertain factors that affect their costs. The uncertainty in the I&M costs should be considered in decision value analyses performed to optimize I&M strategies for the turbine support structures. In this paper, we formulate a probabilistic parametric model to describe I&M costs for the common case in which a wind farm is serviced and maintained using a workboat-based strategy. The model is developed based on (a) interviews with a wind farm operator, engineering consultants, and operation and maintenance engineers, as well as (b) scientific literature. Our methodology involves deriving the probabilistic models of the cost model parameters based on intervals representing a subjective expert opinion on the foreseeable ranges of the parameter values. The probabilistic cost model is applied to evaluate the total I&M costs, and a sensitivity analysis is conducted to identify the main cost drivers. The model can be utilized to optimize I&M strategies at the component, structural system, and wind farm level. To illustrate its potential use, we apply it in a numerical study in which we optimize I&M strategies at the structural system level and identify and demonstrate a simplified approach of capturing uncertain I&M costs in the optimization. The simplified approach is generalized and made available for maintenance cost optimization of offshore wind turbine structures.</p>https://wes.copernicus.org/articles/10/461/2025/wes-10-461-2025.pdf |
| spellingShingle | M. Farhan R. Schneider S. Thöns S. Thöns M. Gündel Probabilistic cost modeling as a basis for optimizing inspection and maintenance of turbine support structures in offshore wind farms Wind Energy Science |
| title | Probabilistic cost modeling as a basis for optimizing inspection and maintenance of turbine support structures in offshore wind farms |
| title_full | Probabilistic cost modeling as a basis for optimizing inspection and maintenance of turbine support structures in offshore wind farms |
| title_fullStr | Probabilistic cost modeling as a basis for optimizing inspection and maintenance of turbine support structures in offshore wind farms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Probabilistic cost modeling as a basis for optimizing inspection and maintenance of turbine support structures in offshore wind farms |
| title_short | Probabilistic cost modeling as a basis for optimizing inspection and maintenance of turbine support structures in offshore wind farms |
| title_sort | probabilistic cost modeling as a basis for optimizing inspection and maintenance of turbine support structures in offshore wind farms |
| url | https://wes.copernicus.org/articles/10/461/2025/wes-10-461-2025.pdf |
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