Posters

Abstract

Offshore wind farms are suitable areas for nature restoration, as they are prohibited fishing areas. One of the man-made infrastructures in windfarms is scour protection which guarantees the stability of the monopile. The scouring problem happens where bed material is removed by the hydrodynamic forces around the turbines' monopile foundation. Rocks are commonly used as scour protection and can provide a habitat for marine life. Scour protection can be modified to have a dual purpose: maximizing stability and biodiversity. There are important biological parameters for design: * Providing or mimicking natural chemical substrate properties for marine settlement; * Producing controlled shapes which increase shelter possibilities; * Creating small crevices for small marine species; * Adding large holes not found in conventional rock scour protection for larger marine species; * Increasing surface area for marine growth. These biological parameters can affect the technical safety of scour protection. There is a gap in current research regarding the harmonization of biological and technical aspects (providing stability and mass implementation) of nature-inclusive design of scour protection. The goal is to design in a way that is attractive for investments and to prepare it for mass production and implementation. As a company with experience in the production of large concrete structures, using technical and biological science, Mecal has developed Cyan Nodes (CN) as a functional scour protection module that enhances biodiversity. CN has a stable and controlled shape and is mixed with the top layer of the scour protection, where sizes and amounts can be adjusted to fit the requirements. With the addition of CN, stability is maintained, and the habitation of diverse species is promoted. Mecal is currently planning stability tests in collaboration with Deltares.