hwstowers@hwstowers.com | +34 943 598 469
HWS | San Sebastian · SPAIN
A PRECAST FOUNDATION
for Wind Turbines
Simplified to 4 legs. Why more?
HWS CONCRETE TOWERS S.L. (HWS) has Developed and Patented a new PRECAST FOUNDATION for the WIND ENERGY SECTOR, as well as the associated construction methodology.
The AirBASE introduces a new structural scheme that profits from serial manufacturing processes as well as simple transportation and easy on-site assembly.
The AirBase consists of four isolated supports built on-site connected to two precast post-tensioned girders placed in a cross-shape.
With this innovation the foundation can be divided in two parts:
1
First part: four isolated supports built “on-site”, that could be either shallow (footings) or deep foundations (piles). Their dimensions depend mainly on the soil conditions.
2
Second part: two precast girders, therefore industrialized, forming a cross shape and connected to the isolated supports. Their dimensions depend mainly on the wind turbine loads.
The AirBase resists the high loads introduced by the new generation of +4.X MW wind turbines thanks to its structural scheme: the precast girders work as lever arms.
These girders could present different cross-shapes:
INDUSTRIALIZATION
This is the best strategy to REDUCE COST and construction TIME, while offering high QUALITY CONTROL.
More than half of the foundation could be pre-cast, and as a result, industrialized.
COST-EFFECTIVENESS
The estimated savings could reach up to 35%, a percentage that will mainly depend on the soil properties, turbine size and tower height. The bigger and higher, the better.
APPLICABILITY
The advantages of the AirBASE solution are significant in countries and wind farms with bad weather conditions, when working outdoors is limited to only some months of the year, where the quality or regularity of the concrete is variable, when reducing construction times is critical, when the depth of the four supports is different, where there is a lack of human resources, and so on.
Optimized Structural
Scheme:
Isolated
support points and
lever arm mechanism.
SCHEME OF POST-TENSIONED PRECAST GIRDERS
ASSEMBLY PROCESS
A new SOLUTION for any type of TOWER and any type of SOIL
Certified Technology
REDUCING COSTS up to 35%
DE-RISKING Projects by reducing on-site works
sustainability
Performed carbon footprint study shows that over 95% of CO2 emissions in construction of wind foundations come from the required materials (concrete & steel). Hence, achieved percentage of material saving reduction will be directly related and similar to the obtained C02 emissions cut.
Up to 45% of material savings
Up to 80% less excavation
Double lifespan
Easy to deconstruct
30 % less CO2 EMISSIONS during Construction of Wind Foundations
Cast-in-place concrete foundation
286 t CO2
AirBASE
200 t CO2
*Study performed for 5.x MW HH150 m wind turbine.
