Riprap Scour Protection for Monopiles in Offshore Wind Farms

Abstract

The scour phenomenon is critical for monopile structures in offshore wind farms. There are two possible strategies: allowing the development of scour holes around the monopile or avoiding it by placing scour protection. The last one is the most used up to now. This paper is focused on the determination of the weight of the stones forming the scour protection. There are some formulas for the design of these parameters, having a lot of uncertainties around them. Some of them were created for fluvial environment, with a different flow to the marine one. Other formulas were elaborated specifically for coastal structures, closer to the coast than offshore wind farms, and with dimensions completely different. This paper presents the analysis of three formulas: Isbash, corresponding to fluvial environment, and Soulsby, and De Vos, corresponding to marine environment. The results of the application of those formulas are compared with real data of scour protection systems showing good results in five offshore wind facilities in operation (Arklow Bank phase 1, Egmond aan Zee, Horns Rev phase 1, Princess Amalia, and Scroby Sands), giving conclusion about the uncertainties of the use of these formulas and recommendations for using them in offshore wind.