Wind farm job on 100m fill?
Wind farm job on 100m fill?
(OP)
Hi I am new to this so bear with me.
My company has been asked to look at the possibility of designing wind farms on an infilled open cast coal mine. Approximately 100m of granular backfill has been used and we have been informed that the fill has been compacted in 3m layers (unlikely).
Anyway all text and publications relating to turbine foundations discuss shallow pad foundations or shallow piles which are unlikely to work in this case. Has anyone heard of a job similar to mine or have deep foundation plans for wind turbines?
Thanks
Martin
My company has been asked to look at the possibility of designing wind farms on an infilled open cast coal mine. Approximately 100m of granular backfill has been used and we have been informed that the fill has been compacted in 3m layers (unlikely).
Anyway all text and publications relating to turbine foundations discuss shallow pad foundations or shallow piles which are unlikely to work in this case. Has anyone heard of a job similar to mine or have deep foundation plans for wind turbines?
Thanks
Martin





RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
To what soil bearing value? What compaction value? What was it "compacted" with? All rock and no fines? Apparently no documentation...
Sounds like a lawsuit in the making if you accept this one.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
cvg has it right. Consider it like an infill lot in a city. There is a reason that no one has built there (assuming the ground sucks), but now it is worth the effort to put something in, so you need to engineer around the problem.
If all sites had non-expansive, non-liquifiable, very dense sand, we wouldn't have much for geotechnical engineering, would we?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
Unfortunately I have no information whatsoever regarding SI, strength characteristics or loadings for turbines. The land owner merely asked the question of my bosses and my task these past few days has been to research the topic. I see there have been a few cases most notably in the US.
I suppose with the furore over climate and renewable energy I will be working on thse projects more frequently within the coming years so all your input has been greatly appreciated. Especially TDAA wouldn't be in a job if it wasn't for problems like this!
Thanks again,
Martin
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
Turbine manufacturers have very specific requirements (deflection/tilt) to insure the life of the long term investment and performance in the equipment.
Make sure you get the criteria from the turbine supplier, since that is the major investment.
Dick
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
I would be surprised to hear "NO".
You shall do a research on the ground formation - contact local geological society to see if there is a pre-exist geological survey, the data can provide you with a rough idea on what type of action, and what kind of foundation system is anticipated. Best of all, try to locate the geologist for the mining company, and bring him on board.
Not necessary true, but usually you would have shallow rock bed rather than thick weak soil layers, this is your task to confirm.
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
Several full sized test excavations and a litany of borings/pens would be a good starting point...
The only foundations for windys I recall hearing about, other than spread footing/inv T, are the ones designed by AVEC in Alaska or was it Canada.
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
If the SI is showing reasonable results then the next step could be 3 or 4 test bored piles. These could be 100m long if thats what the SI suggests is needed and can be instrumented and tested to failure.
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
www.solarwindfoundations.com
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
f-d
¡papá gordo ain't no madre flaca!
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?
RE: Wind farm job on 100m fill?