Zimbalatti, Stefania (2026) Multi-Hazard Risk-Based Design and Analysis of Wind Turbines. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Abstract

Over recent decades, the growing demand for wind energy has accelerated the deployment of onshore and offshore wind turbines, making increasingly evident the need for design and assessment methodologies capable of integrating multiple natural hazards in a coherent manner. In order to maximize the wind resource, onshore wind turbines are frequently installed on mountainous slopes, while offshore wind turbines are progressively located in deep waters. In this context, this thesis develops and applies a multi-hazard risk based analysis and design framework, in which environmental actions, structural response and the main sources of uncertainty are treated probabilistically and consistently with engineering-relevant performance levels. For onshore wind turbines, the analysis considers the combined effects of wind, earthquakes and earthquake-induced landslides, explicitly including soil–structure interaction effects. For offshore wind turbines, with particular reference to floating systems installed in deep waters, the aero–hydro–structural interaction is modelled through time domain simulations that include turbulent wind, wave action and marine currents. In both cases, advanced numerical models, validated against reference benchmarks, are adopted to derive fragility curves and surfaces and to estimate risk metrics. A case study in Italy highlights how the combination of hazards can significantly influence wind turbine performance. In the onshore context, earthquake-induced landslides may become dominant in governing structural demand and loss of functionality, whereas in the offshore context the coupling between wind and wave loading leads to an amplification of structural response. Sensitivity analyses further quantify the impact of the main sources of uncertainty and provide useful insights for the definition of design margins and verification criteria consistent with predefined reliability targets.

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