Offshore wind turbines are becoming one of the main sources of renewable energy in Western Europe. The majority of these wind turbines are supported by piled foundations, which have been used successfully for offshore Oil & Gas platforms. One of the key issues in the transfer of offshore Oil & Gas experience to offshore wind energy is the use of design standards that were developed specifically for offshore Oil & Gas platforms. Moreover, certain European countries require the use of national standards that reflect longstanding onshore design practice. Important differences exist between the methods for deriving extreme loads and the calculation procedures for deriving foundation capacity. The prescribed partial factors for use in load resistance factor design (LRFD) are not always consistent.
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