With the growing focus on marine life sustainability, underwater noise from offshore pile driving is receiving increasing attention, particularly in the offshore wind industry. The physics of pile driving might seem simple, but the noise prediction is in fact a very complex task.
In a recent pioneering model development project, DONG Energy Wind Power and Lloyd’s Register Consulting are working together to sophisticate the methods available for noise prediction. New methods include innovative, combined use of vibro-acoustic Finite Element Modelling (FEM) and geotechnical Wave Equation Analysis for Piles (WEAP). With the achievements of this project, comparison against full-scale, real-world measurements seems very promising.
At InterNoise 2014, Benjamin Trinoreau from Lloyd’s Register Consulting will present the paper “New achievements in underwater noise modelling for offshore pile driving”, detailing the main scope of the project.
InterNoise is hosted by the Australian Acoustical Society on 16-19 November in Melbourne and will have the key theme "Improving the World through Noise Control”. The above presentation will be given on 18 November. For programme and additional information, please visit the event site InterNoise 2014.