ToolFusion
📋 Case Study

Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) Test Site Mooring Standardization

Standardizing mooring interfaces across diverse turbine designs while accommodating extreme velocity gradients (up to 5.8 m/s)

🏗️ Project Overview

Multi-tenant tidal test site in Bay of Fundy, Canada — world’s highest tides (up to 16 m range)

🎯 Challenge

Standardizing mooring interfaces across diverse turbine designs while accommodating extreme velocity gradients (up to 5.8 m/s)

🔧 Design Approach

Modular universal mooring frame (UMF) with interchangeable anchor adapters; standardized load cell interface; shared seabed geotechnical database

📐 Design Diagram

Seabed Geotechnical Database UMF (Modular) Turbine Pile Drag Embed Std. Load Cell du/dz up to 5.8 m/s τ = 18.7 Pa (max) δ = 3.1 mm < 5 mm Anchor Systems UMF & Interface Turbine Velocity Challenge

AI-generated project design illustration

📐 Key Calculations

Velocity Gradient Shear Stress

τ = ρ × ν × (du/dz)
Result: 18.7 Pa (max)
Determined minimum anchor embedment depth of 4.2 m

UMF Structural Deflection

δ = 5wL⁴/(384EI)
Result: 3.1 mm (within 5 mm tolerance)
Ensured consistent load path across all devices

📊 Results

Reduced device installation time by 40%; eliminated 100% of mooring interface disputes; enabled 12+ concurrent deployments with no cross-interference

💡 Lessons Learned

  • •Standardized interfaces accelerate technology validation cycles
  • •Shared geotechnical data reduces redundant site investigation costs
  • •Structural compliance tolerances must be enforced at fabrication—not just design—stage

✅ Key Takeaways

  • 1Standardized interfaces accelerate technology validation cycles
  • 2Shared geotechnical data reduces redundant site investigation costs
  • 3Structural compliance tolerances must be enforced at fabrication—not just design—stage