Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this project is to study the structural design and costing of various designs of tall
wind turbine towers and the associated foundations in a South African context. Speci c design
guidelines are proposed for the design of tubular steel, concrete and concrete-steel hybrid towers
and foundations for hub heights of 80, 100 and 120m. Additionally, a conclusion will be made
as to whether the concrete and hybrid towers are a viable alternative to steel towers at higher
hub heights.
To accomplish this, three of each type of tower (steel concrete and hybrid) and their foundations
were designed according to the relevant design standards. The designs were then veri ed using
the Abaqus nite element software. The costs of the designs for a South African environment
were subsequently calculated according to the increases in material cost, as a function of the
increase in hub height.
It was found that for the chosen design assumptions, the foundations for the concrete and hybrid
towers are less material intensive, and therefore cheaper, than the steel towers. The material
costs of the concrete and hybrid towers were also shown to be lower than the material costs of
the steel towers, especially at hub heights of 100 to 120m. For the circumstances in this project,
it was found that an increase in hub height causes an increase in energy generation of 3.52 and
6.28 percent for 80m to 100m and 80m to 120m hub heights, respectively. It is therefore deduced
that, given the trends in the design and cost associated with increasing hub heights, the concrete
and hybrid towers become viable alternatives to the conventional steel towers at hub heights of
100 to 120m in height. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie projek is om die strukturele ontwerp en koste van verskillende soorte ho e
wind turbines en die toepaslike fondamente vir 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks te bestudeer. Spesi
eke riglyne word voorgestel vir die ontwerp van silindervormige staal, beton en beton-staal
hibriede torings en fondamente vir naafhoogte van 80, 100 en 120m. 'n Gevolgtrekking oor die
lewensvatbaarheid van die beton en hibriede torings, in vergelyking met die gewone staal torings
teen naafhoogte van 100 tot 120m sal ook gemaak word.
Met die bogenoemde as doel, is drie van elke tipe toring (staal, beton en hibried) en hul fondamente
volgens die toepaslike standaarde ontwerp. Daarna is die integriteit van die ontwerpe
getoets en bevestig deur gebruik van die Abaqus eindige-element-metode sagteware. Ten slotte,
die kostes van die ontwerpe vir 'n Suid Afrikaanse omgewing is bereken en die verandering in
materiaalkoste uitgedruk as 'n funksie van die verhoging in naafhoogte.
Daar is gevind dat, vir die aannames in die ontwerp, die fondamente van die beton en hybrid
torings minder materiaal benodig, en dus goedkoper is as die staal torings. Verder, is die
materiaalkoste van die beton en hibriede torings laer as die van die staal torings, veral vir
naafhoogtes van 100 tot 120m. Verder, is daar vir die omstandighede in hierdie projek gevind
dat ho er naafhoogtes stygings in energie-opwekking van 3.52 persent vir naafhoogte stygings
van 80m tot 100m, en stygings van 6.28 persent vir naafhoogte stygings van 80m tot 120m
lewer. Daar word dus tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat, gegewe die tendense in die ontwerp en
materiaal koste wat verband hou met die verhoging van die naafhoogte, die beton en hibriede
torings 'n lewensvatbare alternatief vir die konvensionele staal torings vir naafhoogtes van 100
tot 120m word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/95906 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Way, Andrew Christopher |
| Contributors | Van Zijl, G. P. A. G, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Department of Civil Engineering. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xv, 105 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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