http://www.hornsrev.dk/Engelsk/Opstillingen/uk-fundament.

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Constructing a turbine foundation

In the Horns Rev project, Elsam used the so-called "mono-pile" concept, single piles that are driven into the seabed. Pile driving is a fast process, and piles are relatively inexpensive to produce. Geotechnical surveys show that the seabed was made up of sand, and this makes mono-pile foundations particularly attractive. Mono-pile foundations have also been used for offshore turbines in the Netherlands and Sweden. Similarly, the projects meteorological tower rests on a mono-pile foundation. The foundation is designed as a cylindrical steel pipe with a diameter of approx. 4 m and a material thickness of 5 cm. A large, hydraulic ram drives the steel pipes into the seabed to a depth of some 25 meters. A "mattress" of gravel is placed around the foundation to protect against erosion.

The construction phases

A "gravel mattress" were arranged to minimise erosion. - Thickness: 0.5 m. - Gravel diameter: 0.03-0.2 m.

The mono-pile (4-m diameter and 5-cm material thickness) were driven through the mattress to the planned depth (approx. 25 meters).

The transition piece (complete with preinstalled features such as boat landing arrangement, cathodic protection, cable ducts for sub-marine cables, turbine tower flange, etc.) were cast together with the mono-pile. The transition piece made it possible to raise the towers to a completely vertical position even if the foundation were not completely level.

The cable ducts for the sub-marine cables were closed. The concrete is left to cure.

The protective gravel mattress was finished with an additional layer of gravel and stones. - Thickness: 0.8 m. - Gravel diameter: 0.350-0.550 m.

Erection of the wind turbine and installation of 36-kV cables to substation.

Pile driving Specially designed barges with a heavy-duty ram were used to drive the mono-pile into the seabed.

A typical pile-driving ram.

The transition piece were attached to the mono-pile in a special concrete casting process. The top rim of the transition piece is a flange that accommodates bolting of the turbine tower.