Researchers from Heriot-Watt University have created a sophisticated simulation tool designed to precisely forecast submarine landslides triggered by offshore wind turbines.
This innovative approach allows developers to evaluate the seafloor stability not just during the initial planning phase but also over the entire operational life of a wind farm, aiding in better positioning and guaranteeing enduring robustness.
Submarine slides—occasions when portions of the ocean floor abruptly move—have the potential to affect the stability of wind turbines, especially in regions characterized by soft sea bottoms and mild inclines.
Although monopiles, which serve as supports for certain types of offshore wind turbines, may lead to increased pressure on the seafloor, accurately forecasting the degree of this impact has proven difficult.
The Heriot-Watt instrument rapidly and accurately pinpoints possible landslide areas, assisting developers in enhancing seafloor stability and preventing expensive delays.
Qingping Zou, a professor specializing in coastal dynamics at the Lyell Center within Heriot-Watt University’s Global Research Institute for Earth and Marine Sciences, stated, “Offshore wind farms signify substantial investments amounting to millions of pounds and hold the potential to revolutionize our energy production.”
In order to safeguard these resources, developers require precise and effective instruments for evaluating seafloor stability—not only during the selection of turbine sites, but also continuously throughout the operation and oversight of wind farms.
Using our approach provides a straightforward comprehension and swift forecasting of the seabed’s reaction after turbine installation, guaranteeing that locations are optimal and ventures stay secure, robust, and efficient.
Forecasting seabed movements at each phase
The Heriot-Watt instrument merges principles of soil mechanics with a shear strength reduction approach to examine the cohesion of the seafloor when subjected to stress.
Benjian Song, a PhD student at Heriot-Watt, mentioned, “Our technique was evaluated using three-dimensional models of the seabed, which included actual sites such as Silver Pit, located offshore from Lincolnshire—an area known for past submarine landslide events.”
Our tool identifies possible landslide areas and evaluates the impact of turbine foundations on the seafloor over time. Importantly, it addresses a key problem with current models, as they have difficulty simulating several landslides happening at once.
Foundations and storms influence seabed stability
The research, published in
Ocean Engineering
and
Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering
highlights how turbines’ foundations and storm activity influence seabed stability.
Dr. Cathal Cummins from Heriot-Watt’s School of Mathematical and Computing Science explained, “Monopiles, which are large steel cylinders driven into the seabed, are widely used to anchor offshore wind turbines.
Our simulations indicate that these structures generate stress concentrations which may impact the long-term stability of the seabed.
We discovered that enlarging both the diameter and depth of monopiles improves overall slope stability, providing a possible design approach to reduce risks.
Tropical storms diminish the stability of the seabed, and the dynamic forces transmitted via monopiles may decrease soil strength.
Using our tool, developers can account for these impacts and determine wind farm resilience strategies.
A new standard for offshore wind farm stability
Dr. Cummins says the team is keen to collaborate with offshore developers to integrate seabed stability assessments into wind farm design and maintenance.
“Our tool is a fast, accurate way to predict underwater landslides, with minimal computational requirements.
“By using it, developers can ensure their offshore wind farms remain stable and reach their full renewable energy potential.”
More information:
Benjian Song et al., The stability of submarine slopes containing monopile foundations during storms,
Ocean Engineering
(2025).
DOI: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2025.120464
Benjian Song et al., introduced a new approach for predicting failure surfaces in low-angle submarine slopes and how they interact with monopile foundations.
Soil Dynamics and Seismic Engineering
(2025).
DOI: 10.1016/j.soildyn.2024.109102
Provided by Heriot-Watt University
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