Reducing Stress: Saving 1000 tons of steel!

Presentation Description: How to save 1,000 tons of steel
Steel is a cost driver in many construction projects. It is, however, possible to save steel through smart design and engineering. Here is how structural design engineers worked together with cable penetration seal providers to find a solution to reduce the need for steel in offshore wind farms.
Cable and pipe penetration seals for electrical cables, ventilation pipes and similar are often round or rectangular, and they require openings in the steel structure. Even though the seals are made to keep tight, the intervention means stress concentration and an increased risk of material fatigue.
To minimize the stress concentration factor and enable steel savings in the heavy transition pieces, the project partners developed and tested oval seals. In theory, it was pure mathematics: stress forces choose better ways if you have an oval opening instead of a round opening in the structure.
In practice, the result was interesting for the offshore wind power industry as well as for other sectors using steel. The change to oval seals required 35 percent less steel in the concerned section of the transition piece. When it comes to steel savings for the entire wind farm, they reached 1,000 tons. This innovative cooperation contributes to efficient usage of valuable resources such as steel and makes it easier to roll out lighter structures for renewable wind power.