Published on: 2026-07-29
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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Ivan Rigel, a graduate student of the Engineering and Construction Institute of SPbPU, developed a comprehensive methodology for designing load-bearing structures of wind power installations (WPI) for the extreme conditions of the Arctic. The proposed approach combines for the first time into a single calculation system the modeling of permafrost soil behavior, wind loads, and vibrations of the WPI. The results of the work have already been implemented at JSC “Rosatom Renewable Energy” for designing prototype domestic wind power installations for the Arctic.
Designing wind energy installations in the Arctic is associated with many risks. Standard engineering methods do not take into account the simultaneous effects of extreme winds, blade icing, and degradation of permafrost soils. Research has shown that seasonal and long-term thawing of the foundation can reduce the natural frequencies of tower vibrations by 4–10%, and combined with blade icing and snow load, up to 15%. This creates a risk of resonance occurring at the operational rotational frequencies of the wind turbine, which can lead to the failure of the installation. The method developed by Ivan helps to accurately predict the behavior of the structure under any climate changes throughout the entire lifecycle of the facility.
“We have developed a method for assessing the dynamic response of a wind power plant that allows us to eliminate the occurrence of resonances throughout the entire lifecycle of the structure, taking into account the degradation of permafrost soils, icing, and snow load,” — said the author of the methodology.
The most important stage of the work was the testing of the mathematical model on real data. In August 2025, under the guidance of the director of the Scientific and Educational Center “Renewable Energy Sources and Installations Based on Them,” Professor Viktor Yelistratov of ISI, Ivan Rigel conducted field dynamic studies for the first time in Russia on an operational 120 kW wind power plant beyond the Arctic Circle. Ivan installed a system on the tower to measure accelerations and stresses in real time. For monitoring permafrost, a thermal measurement system based on temperature sensors and a controller was created, which made it possible to obtain a soil temperature profile by depth. All data were synchronized in time by GPS with each other and with the operational modes of the wind power unit from the SCADA system.
Thanks to the new methodology, it is possible not only to eliminate the risk of resonance phenomena and other unforeseen situations leading to the emergency condition of wind power plants, but also to minimize capital costs for the construction structures of Arctic wind power stations. Based on the methodology, a modular structure has been developed, adapted for transportation in standard containers, which is critically important for logistics in remote Arctic territories. The methodology is easily scalable: to adapt to another region, it is sufficient to use local climatic and geological data. This makes it in demand not only in the Arctic, Siberia, and the Far East, but also in other countries with cold climates.
The work was carried out as part of postgraduate training at the Higher School of Hydraulic and Energy Construction of the Engineering and Construction Institute of SPbPU with financial support from the Russian Science Foundation grant (project No. 25-29-00497). The scientific supervisor is Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of HSEEC Viktor Vasilyevich Yelistratov. The author also expresses gratitude to the company “VTR Engineering” for assistance in organizing and conducting field studies.
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