We're are pleased to introduce the latest version of the Design Construction product: Construction 3. This page highlights the main areas of the product which have changed and includes demos of new functionality.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Getting started with Construction 3
Simulation
Design Construction 3 uses the Shoresim 3 simulation engine, also utilized by Design O&M. Design Construction 1 utilizes the Shoresim 1 simulation engine. Shoresim 3 is a modernized and more performant simulation engine than Shoresim 1.
Note: The simulation progress view now shows the percentage based on how many tasks are completed, not based on how much time has elapsed. This means that now all simulations should run to 100%, instead of completing at lower levels.
Assets
Task Dependency Modeling
Model construction tasks for assets with greater granularity and flexibility
Construction / Assets / Tasks
Easier to view, edit and organize tasks assigned to assets to model real-world construction scenarios.
In the previous version, there was a tab for each task (completion, commissioning, snagging, testing), which meant that users were unable to see an overview of the entire workflow. Assembly ('pre-assembly') and transportation were handled as individual asset tiles. The tasks and dependencies were also predefined which limited users from modeling fully realistic asset installation scenarios.
In Construction 3 there is now a single Tasks tab and users have the flexibility to select, add, and order tasks from one drop-down list. Task dependency attributes are no longer predefined, and users can easily select and apply task dependencies from an integrated overview panel. Assigning specific vessels to tasks is likewise more intuitive and streamlined, and it’s easier to model cable installation and feeder scenarios. The user also gains an improved overview of the sub-tasks involved, including the length of time required to conduct tasks, weather limitations, and dependencies between wind turbine elements (e.g. monopile, transition piece, and WTG).
Now users can more accurately model each transportation, installation and commissioning stage of assets and easily organize these tasks according to business case requirements. As well as having detailed and flexible tasks available for WTGs, it is now also possible to flexibly model the tasks for other assets, such as monopiles, transition pieces and cables. The installation order is dependent on the order of uploading the assets into Design.
See here for more detailed information
Logistics
Process Builder
Improved modeling of the processes and steps a vessel or vehicle undertakes
Construction / Build / Logistics (also available on Design O&M)
Improved flexibility in adding installation and transit step data makes it possible for users to more accurately determine installation time frames and related task dependencies.
In the previous version, users could not access an overview of individual activities and therefore had to manually select each activity from a drop-down menu and scroll left and right to access details. In the areas where it was possible to drag and drop steps, there was no way of modelling the relationships between steps among the different processes.
The new Process Builder allows users to more accurately plan the various transportation or installation steps of a wind turbine utilizing an installation vessel or vehicle and model the relationships between each step.
Benefits:
- Now users can view multiple steps and related inputs in one collapsible view without navigating between different tabs. Steps can be ordered according to user requirements.
- It is possible to select to Repeat steps on loadouts, loadoff and working with feeder, which helps to limit the number of steps a user needs to define.
- A comprehensive process summary makes it easy to determine the relationship between steps.
- Improved weather parameter data criteria gives users the ability to more accurately model weather-related downtime.
- The new Max time to wait before start function allows users to model delays before each installation stage, and to define whether these delays will be in minutes, hours or days. Read more here.
- It is possible to select different weather criteria types to the default and hide those which are not relevant
More accurately model vessel transit speeds
Construction / Build / Logistics and O&M / Build / Logistics
Users now can more accurately model and simulate vessel and vehicle transit speeds and so generate more realistic installation time estimates.
In Construction 1 there was only one way of adding speed, which was on the Performance tab for each Logistic. There the user could set a Dynamic positioning speed, which was constant for all operations for each Logistic type. Users can now fully mimic true vessel behavior such as low speeds due to load and port speed restrictions.
Now users can add varying speeds for each installation vessel transit stage in the Process Builder. For example, it is now possible to input the Heavy Lift Vessels (HLVs)’ speed for:
- Transit to wind farm
- Transit to next asset
- Transit to port
Flexibility regarding which logistics can be used for which tasks
Construction/ Build / Logistics and O&M/ Build / Logistics
Users have more flexibility in modelling complex cases and have more flexibility to use vessels and vehicles for whatever purposes they see fit.
Users were limited to selecting only certain vessel types within the pre-defined tasks dropdown menu, rather than having the ability to select the vessel type that best meets their business case as their needs evolve.
In the new workflow, the purposes of an individual logistic are not defined up front when registering it to work on a case. Instead, tasks are assigned to logistics on each asset, and it is up to the user to decide which individual logistic is suitable, within some basic hard-coded parameters. The vessel is now only selected on Tasks, rather than being selected on both the logistic and the Task.
An example of new flexibility is that it is now possible to install a floating foundation using a towing vessel.
Outputs
Better understanding of weather risk to vessels
Construction / Output
Ability to understand to what extent delays to installation are due to weather downtime
In Construction 1 the weather risk per vessel was calculated within the simulation but not included in the data output visualization. Users therefore had no way of determining the relationship between weather downtime and production loss – a potentially statistically significant difference.
It is now possible to see the period of time vessels are unable to sail based on the weather conditions applied in the simulation. The graph below shows that Towing vessel 2 has 70% downtime in the year 2022. That means that, of the 8760 hours in 2022, 6132 hours were spent waiting on the right weather limitations.
Graphs include:
Yearly weather downtime per logistics unit
Aggregated monthly weather downtime per logistics unit
Monthly weather downtime per logistics unit
Understand and mitigate bottlenecks in installation
Construction / Output
It’s now possible to visualize more tasks in the S-curve than in Construction 1.
In Construction 3 it is possible to visualize all tasks in the S-curve. This means that users can more easily determine when one task – for example, assembly, is completed and the next task, for example, installation begins. This visualization enables users to ensure the dependencies between tasks are set correctly and time scales are aligned according to realistic values and business case requirements. Those wishing to adjust their dependencies should then return to the Build section and adjust as required in the Task tabs on each Asset.
These improvements in real-world modeling can lead to significant cost-savings. For example, a user who discovers that it is possible to begin WTG installation long before the last monopile is installed can vastly reduce vessel costs.
Learning Curve improvements
Construction / Logistics and Construction / Strategy
The Global Learning Curve and the Local Learning Curves more accurately represent the learnings of personnel and logistics, including on commissioning tasks
Note! In Construction 3 the learning curve cycles start at "0" rather than "1".
Users also don't have to itemise every cycle: the simulation engine will calculate the difference:
Example:
0: 150%
2: 100%
This input will multiply the activity times in the cycle with 150% for the "0" cycle, 125% for the "1" cycle, and 100% for the "2" cycle and for all remaining cycles.
Global Learning Curve
Previously there was only one Global Learning Curve on the Strategy tab which was applied equally to all load out and installation processes.
In Construction 3 two Global Learning Curves are now available to users, which are:
Minor: Only used on Commissioning tasks. These are performed by technicians dropped-off at the turbine by CTV/SOV/Helicopter, and since the learning is done by the personnel not by the personnel in combination with the vessel, this is treated differently than Major tasks.
Major: all tasks performed by installation vessels (HLV, Feeder, COTV, Towing, etc). Major Learning Curves apply to all Transport, Assembly, Feeder and Installation tasks.
Note: Learning Curves are not applied to Testing since this is a standardized task.
Local Learning Curves
In Construction 1 it was possible to create and apply a Local Learning Curve on each Installation Vessel type on the Cycle tab of Logistics. If not selected, then the Global Learning Curve would apply to tasks conducted by this vessel.
In Construction 3 Learning Curves are applied to the Vessel once it has been selected for one or more Tasks. In the Learning Curve popup on each logistics type it is possible to:
Not set a Learning Curve at all (new)
Set a Global Learning Curve – now Major or Minor according to the logistics type (‘Inherit curve from Strategy’)
Apply a new curve (Local Learning Curve)
Increment Strategy
There is the option to implement the Global or Local Learning Curves either:
Per task cycle: the Learning Curve would be applied per Task (including all Steps) listed for the logistic, so the countdown would start over for Installation after Assembly, for example.
All task cycles (cumulative): this option assumes that the learning curve will decrease from the first day the vessel is used on the project, irrespective of task or component being transported, assembled or installed.
