Wind turbine loads

A wind turbine is mainly subjected to wind forces or aerodynamic loads, whose magnitude depends on the wind speed and wind turbine operating condition. For offshore wind turbines, additional hydrodynamic loads are exerted by wave and current actions. Ice loads, which are forces exerted by ice as it hits the structure, can also be present at the arctic or similar environments. For bottom-fixed wind turbines, the loads are transferred to the soil through soil-structure interaction, which are generally influenced by the type of soil and type of foundation.