On 21 February 2025, the first webinar in the series of professional online events planned by UWEA for this year took place. The event was dedicated to the quality of foundations for wind turbines – a key aspect of building modern wind energy facilities. Given the complex geological conditions and the diversity of soils in Ukraine, the choice of optimal solutions for foundation structures is critical for developers, construction companies and wind farm operators. The speakers of the webinar were representatives of such UWEA member companies as BUREAU VERITAS UKRAINE, LLC “Sika Ukraine” and MC-Bauchemie Ukraine.
During the event, the invited experts agreed that the quality of foundations directly affects the stability, durability and safe operation of wind energy installations. “Insufficient control over the quality of foundations can lead to the uneven settlement of structures, premature wear or even the decommissioning of turbines”, noted Andriy Konechenkov, Chairman of the UWEA Board and the event’s moderator, opening the webinar.
In particular, the webinar discussed the following issues: the quality of foundations for wind turbines and the relevant international standards, independent technical inspection and construction control, the planning of technological sites and access roads, and the application of innovative materials to increase the stability of foundations.
Thus, Daria Bezruchenko, product manager for inspections and certification at BUREAU VERITAS UKRAINE, as part of her presentation dedicated to the role of independent technical inspection in wind energy projects, also spoke about the main stages of the process of planning and building foundations, technological sites and roads for wind turbines. “Independent technical inspection plays an important role in reducing the risks associated with material defects or design errors. This ensures not only the preservation of the budget, but also increases the overall safety and efficiency of wind energy projects. BUREAU VERITAS UKRAINE is a market leader in the services of testing, technical inspection and technical audits of foundation structures”, noted Ms Bezruchenko.
Kostiantyn Horbachov, head of the wind energy division, and Oleksii Huniak, product engineer in the “Concrete” department, who represent LLC “Sika Ukraine”, in turn, spoke about the various options for waterproofing the underground part of a foundation and solutions for the precise grouting of equipment, including those that can be applied even at low temperatures and in severe weather conditions. According to the representatives, LLC “Sika Ukraine” is able to provide the full range of available solutions for wind turbines: surface protection, bonding, joint sealing, injection, high-efficiency concrete admixtures, grouts, repair, waterproofing, etc.
Finally, Artem Zakharov, project manager, and Yevheniia Tykholaz, head of the laboratory in the town of Berezan of the company MC-Bauchemie Ukraine, presented the capabilities of their concrete laboratory, where cement and aggregates are tested, the composition of concrete and the consistency of the concrete mix are selected, studies of the heat release of concrete are carried out, etc. They also presented a wide range of concrete admixtures produced by MC-Bauchemie Ukraine.
The combination of modern technologies with strict control at all stages of construction – from design to operation – is the key to the reliability of foundations. In particular, the general conclusions of the webinar are as follows:
- Independent technical inspection is an effective quality-control mechanism that makes it possible to avoid critical errors in the construction of foundations.
- Modern concrete technologies and specialised admixtures increase the strength of structures and ensure their durability even in conditions of complex climatic influences.
- The planning of technological sites and access roads should be integrated into the overall concept of wind turbine construction to increase the efficiency of the work.
- The introduction of innovative materials makes it possible not only to strengthen structures, but also to reduce construction times without loss of quality.
The webinar confirmed the need for further discussions and research in this field, and UWEA, in turn, will continue to organise a series of online events aimed at raising the standards of construction of wind energy facilities in Ukraine.
Video recording of the webinar:
