Wind Energy Development on Lake Huron: Optimization of Guyed-Tower Foundation Design

The accelerating development of offshore wind energy in the Great Lakes region necessitates cost-effective solutions for auxiliary infrastructure, such as meteorological masts. While monopile foundations are well-established for turbine generators, their high flexural rigidity and capital cost are often disproportionate for non-generating platforms. This study presents a parametric optimization of a guyed tower foundation situated in the nearshore limestone shelf of Lake Huron (Point Clark), specifically designed to balance strict signal serviceability with foundation economy. Using a non-linear static solver with Ernst equivalent cable moduli, a full factorial sweep of 48 design configurations was conducted under site-specific hydrodynamic loads (1300 kN Average/3500 kN Storm). The results demonstrate that while all configurations satisfied the 0.004 rad rotation limit mandated by TIA-222-H, significant non-linear trade-offs exist between structural stiffness and foundation demand. Specifically, a “cost of rigidity” was identified, where increasing cable pretension to 800 kN resulted in foundation overturning moments exceeding 9.6 × 10⁴ kN·m—a threefold increase compared to lower-pretension alternatives. To resolve this trade-off, a formal multi-objective scoring function was applied to rank designs based on rotation, moment, and displacement. The analysis identifies a “balanced” configuration comprising three guys with high-stiffness anchors (5 × 10⁷ N/m) and moderate pretension (300–500 kN) as the optimal design. This configuration leverages the competent bedrock to minimize cable tension requirements, offering a resilient and economically efficient solution for Great Lakes offshore monitoring.