GCSC and Vibrotwist are developing the control system for the Gentle Driving of Piles (GDP): a technique that drives offshore wind turbine monopiles into the seabed with a combination of axial and torsional vibrations instead of hammer blows.
The challenge
Offshore monopiles are traditionally installed by impact hammering, which is slow and produces underwater noise that harms marine life. Torsional vibrations do not propagate through water, so GDP installs piles almost silently. It also has a large cost reduction potential and makes it possible to fully extract old monopiles at the end of their life, contributing to a circular economy.
Scope · GCSC
- Modelling: dynamic models of the shaker as a basis for controller design and simulation.
- Control architecture design: a control algorithm for the actuators that generate the axial and torsional vibrations, keeping the installation efficient and stable.
- Research: investigating and validating vibratory characteristics
In the field
More about Gentle Driving of Piles at vibrotwist.com.