A Framework for Sustainable Maintenance of Offshore Energy Structures

Abstract

This paper proposes a structure for maintenance decision support suitable for application to renewable energy assets. The method combines subjective tacit knowledge of subject-area experts with well-structured Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) to elicit weights of criteria relevant for effects evaluation of possible failures modes towards support for component’s maintenance decisions. The Technique for Ordered Preference using Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) algorithm is adopted for aggregating the evaluation scores and achieving priority indexing given the conflicting characteristics of some criteria. Part of the highlights of the Framework is the implementation of the group experts, as well as individual expert's elicitations in a complimentary manner that eliminates subjective opinions and achieves a repeatable evaluation score. The conclusion of the analysis is the prioritisation of the component’s failure; An indicative case study of offshore wind turbine jacket support structure is used to demonstrate the applicability of the approach and the analysis results-which shows priority failure modes for focused maintenance intervention as bending of Chord/Brace (PI = 0.65), the collapse of Chord/Brace (PI = 0.49), buckling of Long piles (PI = 0.46), and Truss(PI = 0.45), overturning of Skirt pile (PI = 0.45), and fatigue of Long pile (PI = 0.45), further demonstrates the capacity of the model to support maintenance decisions. Caution is exercised in the selection of criteria that would capture the objectives of the risk analyses by consulting a wide range of industry experts.