Advancing industrial wind energy simulations using variational multiscale methods and a mid-fidelity framework for turbine aeroelasticity

This thesis presents the development of an accurate and computationally efficient framework for the simulation of wind turbines and wind farm flows, with particular focus on offshore applications. The work builds upon the Actuator Line Model (ALM) as a mid-fidelity approach, enhancing it through the integration of aeroelastic effects via fluid–structure interaction and rigid-body dynamics for floating turbines. A key contribution is the implementation of the ALM within a Residual-Based Variational Multiscale (RBVMS) formulation in a finite element and isogeometric analysis context, enabling turbulence representation without relying on traditional eddy-viscosity models. The proposed framework is extensively verified and validated against established numerical methods and experimental data, demonstrating its accuracy and robustness. Applications to relevant wind engineering problems, including turbine–wake interactions, offshore wind farm dynamics, and wave–wind coupling, highlight its capability to capture complex multi-physical phenomena while maintaining computational efficiency. The results show that the developed approach provides a reliable and flexible tool for the design and optimization of next-generation wind energy systems.