The rapid emergence of the floating offshore wind sector requires the development of new technologies such as dynamic inter-array cables. This work gives an insight into the hydrostatic predesign of such a cable system looking from side view. Numerical analyses are performed to compare two umbilical shapes, namely catenary and lazy wave shape. In a parametric study, water depth and cable length are varied. As outcome, a unique and generalized recommendation for a first umbilical design is presented. Finally, an outlook to the dynamic analysis of umbilicals in future work is given.

In order to tap the world wide offshore wind resources above deep waters, cost efficient floating platforms are inevitable. Tension-Leg Platforms (TLPs) could enable that crucial cost reduction in floating wind due to their smaller size and lighter weight compared to spars and semi-submersibles. The continuous development of the GICON^®-TLP is driven by computer-aided engineering. So-called aero-hydro-servo-elastic coupled simulations are state-of-the-art for predicting loads and simulating the global system behavior for floating offshore wind turbines. Considering the complexity of such simulations, it is good scientific praxis to validate these numerical calculations by use of scaled model testing. This paper addresses the setup of the scaled model testing as carried out at the offshore basin of the École Centrale de Nantes, as well as the numerical model for the GICON^®-TLP. The results of dedicated decay tests of the scaled model are used to validate the computational model at the first stage and to determine the natural frequencies of the system. Besides different challenges to the scaled model during the survey, it was possible to take these difficulties into account when updating the numerical model. The results show good agreements for the tank tests and the numerical model.

The paper will present the preliminary design of the so called GICON^® - Tension Leg Platform (TLP) as an innovative foundation concept for floating offshore wind turbines. Preliminary results from model basin tests are also shared. This includes the currently ongoing research of comparing calculated and experimental data obtained through extensive wind and wave tank experiments with a scale model of an offshore wind turbine at the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) in June 2013. These tests have provided insights regarding the dynamic characteristics of the GICON^®-TLP by analyzing the system’s response to different load cases. The experiments included wind and wave loads, which represent three different sea states, each with three different directions of inflow. The chosen load cases correspond to the proposed location in the German Baltic Sea where the full scale prototype will be erected.