The principal investigator (PI) successfully accomplished the primary research objectives by undertaking the proposed tasks, which included (R1) comprehending the uncertainties associated with the Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) system, (R2) establishing a framework to predict the structural reliability of FOWT components involving probabilistic capacity and demand models, and (R3) estimating structural reliability using the developed model while evaluating safety factors for the base tower's moment and shear failure modes. The PI also achieved the proposed educational objectives for under-represented minority engineering students and outreach goals targeting industry, academic institutions, and the local community. The project spanned a two-year Wind Energy Seminar series,  engaged undergraduate students from the under-represented group, and introduced a new course. The outreach goals, encompassing industry, other institutions, and the local community, were successfully attained.

Note that the project experienced an unplanned transition, moving from Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), a non-PhD-offering institution, to New Mexico State University (NMSU), a PhD-offering institution, within two-thirds of the project period. This unplanned transition unexpectedly presented opportunities to significantly contribute to both minority/undergraduate education and produce high-quality research outcomes.

The project research resulted in four(4) high-quality journal papers and one (1) juried conference paper. The proposed research objectives are directly addressed through two high-quality journal papers produced at NMSU, one published in 2023 (R1) titled, Uncertainty models for the structural design of floating offshore wind turbines: A review, at  Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (impact factor: 16.8 as of 2021) and one submitted in 2023 (R2 & R3) titled, Framework of Fragility Estimation for Performance-based Structural Design of Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Components, where the probabilistic capacity and demand models are presented with selected uncertainty models, structural reliabilities at the selected U.S. FOWT sites for tower base moment and shear failure modes.  Additionally, initial efforts to comprehend the structural properties of FOWT resulted in two highly-cited journal papers published in 2019 and 2021. A conference paper produced in 2020 emerged from undergraduate wind energy research funded by this project.  The project also largely impacted to the PI's future research capabilities. This wind energy research endeavor led the PI to co-lead an NSF CREST (NSF#1914692)) in 2019 at PVAMU. Furthermore, the software and computational frameworks established by this project at NMSU hold significant potential for future initiatives contributing to the structural safety of offshore wind energy facilities.

The project impacted to engineering education of underrepresented group by providing support to a total of six(6) minority undergraduate students, including one with a disability, four African-American students, and one female student. Additionally, it included two(2) minority graduate students, comprising one African-American and one Hispanic student. The project's outreach efforts resulted in a collaborative partnership with the mid-sized company Technip Energies, based in Houston, TX, within the industrial wind energy sector. Furthermore, the project outreach activities established a collaboration with the Ocean Engineering department at Texas A&M University for research related to FOWT. The project further engaged with the local community through K-12 outreach, which encompassed a summer bridge program at PVAMU in 2018 and 2019, as well as a summer STEM day for the local Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Pack 1149, in 2019. The Wind Energy Seminar series, which lasted between 2018 and 2020, served as a platform to introduce under-represented engineering students to the wind energy initiatives undertaken by both industrial and academic collaborators.

Last Modified: 11/20/2023
Modified by: Doeun Choe