This paper addresses unique design considerations for the support structure of an offshore wind turbine in US waters and howthe Working Stress Design (WSD) approach can be applied. The Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) criteriaspecified in IEC 61400-3 are primarily developed based on the experience from offshore wind turbines installed in Europeancoastal areas. Due to the higher variability of the wind and wave climate in hurricane-prone areas, offshore wind turbines inUS waters would not achieve the same level of safety as those in European waters if the existing IEC design criteria wereapplied. To address this, a set of acceptance criteria, accounting for the unique design consideration related to tropical storms,has been developed and are published in the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Offshore Wind Turbine Installations.Extensive calibrations have been carried out to verify the adequacy of design load conditions and structural designrequirements of the ABS WSD-based design criteria. Metocean conditions in the US Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and East Coastwere used in the calibrations to calculate the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic loads as well as the structural responses of thetypical designs of offshore wind turbines.
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