Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026
08:54
Measurements of Waves in a Wind-wave Tank Under Steady and Time-varying Wind Forcing
Published on: February 13, 2018
Turbulence drives seabed modification by offshore windfarms.
Christopher A Unsworth1,2, Connor J McCarron3, Richard J S Whitehouse3
1School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey, United Kingdom. christopher.unsworth@bangor.ac.uk.
Nature Communications
|June 3, 2026
Summary
Offshore windfarm monopile wakes significantly increase seabed sediment mobility, extending far beyond direct infrastructure footprints. This enhanced mobility, driven by turbulence, impacts marine habitats and requires updated environmental assessments.
Area of Science:
- Marine engineering
- Oceanography
- Environmental science
Background:
- The expansion of offshore wind energy is increasing seabed modification.
- Existing assessments underestimate the impact of windfarm infrastructure on sediment mobility.
- Monopile wakes generate turbulence that can mobilize seabed sediments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the extent of seabed sediment mobilization caused by monopile wakes from offshore windfarms.
- To develop a method for predicting enhanced sediment transport capacity around monopiles.
- To validate the predictive method with field data from an operational windfarm.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory experiments simulating monopile wakes and sediment transport.
- Analysis of turbulence characteristics and sediment movement.
- Field measurements at an operational offshore windfarm.
- Development of a predictive model combining mean flow and turbulent shear stress.
Main Results:
- Near-bed turbulence from monopile wakes can mobilize sand up to 17 diameters downstream.
- Sediment bedform formation correlates with the downwelling turbulent wake.
- The developed method accurately predicts regions of enhanced sediment transport.
- Amplified seabed stress is predicted to cover 3-8% of a typical windfarm area.
Conclusions:
- Monopile wakes significantly enhance seabed sediment mobility, expanding the affected area beyond current estimates.
- The developed predictive method offers a tool for accurate impact assessment of offshore windfarms.
- Considering enhanced seabed mobility is crucial for effective marine spatial planning and habitat management.
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