LEWES WIND TURBINE
LEWES, DELAWARE
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“The University of Delaware and Gamesa Technology Corporation joined forces to install a utility-scale 2-megawatt (2-MW) wind turbine at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. This partnership came about because of synergies that emerged from wind research being conducted at UD’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment and College of Engineering, the State of Delaware’s interest in offshore wind, the City of Lewes’ interest in innovative energy opportunities, and Gamesa’s interest in improving its understanding of the effects of marine conditions such as salt spray on turbine coatings, corrosion, and avian impacts,” from UD’s website.

Duffield Associates, Inc. was initially retained to provide a preliminary desktop geotechnical review of the general subsurface conditions at five locations in the area of the proposed 80 meter high wind turbine.  Using this information as a component to determine where to locate the wind turbine, the client selected a site on the border of a dredge disposal area. 

Following final site selection, Duffield Associates performed Cone Penetrometer and Standard Penetration test borings as part of the design phase geotechnical evaluation, which included our recommendations for design of the wind turbine foundations.  The constructed foundation system included a concrete mat foundation bearing approximately 10 below grade to control overturning.  Due to the liquefaction potential of the surficial saturated sand deposits, the mat was founded on a deep foundation system consisting of Geopier™, rammed aggregate, columns.

Duffield Associates continued to assist our client during construction, including the design of a geosynthetic reinforced construction access road over the sensitive dredged materials.  Duffield Associates provided construction review and testing services related to the earthwork and concrete construction at the site.