Large-diameter monobucket foundations are a promising alternative for offshore wind turbines in cases where monopiles are not suitable. However, during installation, the induced underpressure leads to compressive stresses in the thin-walled shell, making these structures susceptible to buckling. This is further amplified by the need for slender designs to remain cost efficient. This study investigates an alternative monobucket geometry in which the cylindrical shell is replaced by a segmented configuration composed of multiple curved sections. Two concepts are studied: the Outward Segmented Bucket (OSB) and the Inward Segmented Bucket (ISB). These geometries either increase local curvature or fundamentally alter the load application, both with the aim of improving buckling resistance.

A two-step finite element approach is applied, consisting of Linear Buckling Analysis (LBA) and Geometrically and Materially Nonlinear Analysis with Imperfections (GMNIA). The results show that segmented geometries achieve significantly higher buckling capacities, compared with a conventional cylindrical design. For OSB configurations, this improvement is driven by the increased local curvature, for which a clear relationship with the limit pressure is observed. In contrast, ISB configurations exhibit a different failure mechanism, where buckling is governed by local instabilities at segment edges due to stress concentrations, rather than global buckling. Furthermore, the results show that the buckling limit strongly depends on the eigenmode used as an imperfection, and that higher-order modes should also be taken into account. The improved buckling performance allows for substantial reductions in required shell thickness, demonstrating clear material and thus cost savings.
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The Nahuel Huapi National Park, in the Lake District of Northern Patagonia, Argentina, is well known for its tourism industry all year round. After COVID-19, the area saw a significant increase in the number of tourists traveling to the area. This means that the lake located in the heart of the district, Lago Nahuel Huapi, is being used more and more to explore the environmental richness of the area by boat. Now, the capacity of mooring spaces is no longer sufficient in the region, resulting in the construction of illegal private docks along the shore. To reduce this impact on the environment the authorities granted in 2024 a concession to develop one of the last not yet commercialized marina’s in the region: the marina in Bahía López.

This report provides a consult for the concessionaire of this development. The process begins with a research phase, consisting of an area study, and the mapping of environmental and hydrodynamic constraints. Subsequently, stakeholders are categorized, as the development of a marina in a national park entails complex regulations from multiple organizations. The outcomes of the research phase are translated into specific functional requirements for the marina. These functional requirements are the basis for the next phase, the design phase. This phase begins with the formulation of a design vision statement, formulating the project response to local conditions. Based on this, three different conceptual designs with various technical solutions are developed. Through a multi-criteria analysis, the concepts are tested on their robustness in order to chose a final concept. This concept is then elaborated into a preliminary design. Presenting an overview of the marina’s facilities, including structural designs, operational needs, and capital costs. Finally, suggestions for future development
are provided, outlining the next steps to advance the marina to a next phase.
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