SBIR Phase I: Phase I Research: Beam/Hub Connection Design - Considerations for Wind Energy Industry loadings for A Precast Footer Assembly

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目支持对大型风能塔模块化基础结构工程的研究。在所涉及的力达到目前风力涡轮机中所经历的大小的情况下，从未考虑过使用组装组件的结构连接。美国每年建造约3,000台涡轮机(和地基)，国际上每年建造约10,000台，代表着10亿美元的国内市场。如今，现浇混凝土技术很好地服务于这个市场。然而，一个更轻、更强、安装更快的基础系统将为整个风能行业带来巨大的价值。首先，它将提高项目经济性，降低清洁风电的价格。其次，这项创新将消除当前具体工程固有的融资和项目时间安排问题。第三，这项创新将允许在项目生命周期结束时完全恢复农田，因为拟议的结构元素被设计为从地下抬起，重新测试强度，然后重复使用。第四，在减少现有现浇技术所需水泥的基础上，新方法将在每个100兆瓦风电场减少5000吨二氧化碳排放的基础上。该项目的智力优势在于先进的材料研究、先进的结构工程研究、先进的施工方法研究，以及将三者结合在一起，以满足风力发电机组基础所需的巨大倾覆力。这项研究将包括结构设计发现的有限元建模，以及对后张法混凝土系统的新研究，以及基础研究中的新分析方法。该研究计划的结果旨在根据风电行业的规模和要求，生产出一种商业上可行的结构元件，能够安全、高效和经济地将塔架与梁元件连接起来。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project supports research into the structural engineering of a modular foundation for large wind energy towers. Structural connections using assembled components have never been contemplated in cases where the forces involved are of the magnitude currently experienced in today's wind turbines. About 3,000 turbines (and foundations) are constructed each year in the U.S. and about 10,000 internationally, representing a $1 billion domestic market. This market is served well today by cast-in-place concrete technology. Nevertheless a lighter, stronger, and quicker-to-install foundation system would introduce tremendous value to the entire wind energy industry. First, it would improve project economics and reduce the price of clean wind electricity. Second, the innovation would eliminate financing and project timing issues inherent with current concrete works. Third, the innovation would allow farmland to be fully recovered at the end of the project lifecycle, as the proposed structural elements are designed to be lifted back out of the earth, re-tested for strength, and then reused. Fourth, the new approach will eliminate 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions for each 100 megawatt wind farm, based on a reduction in the required cement for the incumbent cast-in-place technology.The intellectual merit of this project consists in advanced materials research, advanced structural engineering research, advanced construction methods research, and combining the three into a structural element that can meet the massive overturning forces required of a wind turbine foundation. The research will include finite element modeling of structural design discoveries, plus new research into post-tensioning concrete systems, and new analytical methods in foundation study. The results of the research program are intended to yield a commercially viable structural element that can connect the tower to the girder elements safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively, based on the scale and requirements of the wind industry.