Somansundar Sakthivel, PhD

Dr. Somansundar Sakthivel is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Offshore Division of Hydraulic Engineering and the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). He focuses on the project “Flexible Mooring Line Concepts for Large-Scale Offshore Floating Solar Farms.” His research includes optimizing mooring configurations, developing physical scale models for the dynamic stiffness of synthetic fiber ropes, and studying the hydrodynamics of multi-module interactions of floating solar farms, including response amplitude operators (RAOs), associated forces, and hydrodynamic coefficients.

He holds a Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, where he conducted hydroelastic response analysis. He also earned an M.E. in Structural Engineering from Anna University and a B.Tech. in Civil Engineering from SRM University. Previously, he served as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Florence, where he modeled plastic dispersion in coastal environments. Additionally, he gained experience at the National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways, and Coasts, where he prepared detailed project reports and feasibility studies for various floating structures.

Dr. Sakthivel has a keen interest in advancing applications in offshore and civil engineering, particularly in designing economical, low-emission, and cost-effective solutions, including physical and numerical model studies. Looking to the future, he is enthusiastic about applying life cycle assessment and environmental impact assessment methods in these fields.

Project Involvement

Flexible Mooring Line Concepts for Large-Scale Offshore Floating Solar Farms

• Optimization of Mooring Configurations: He develops and refines mooring configurations to enhance stability and efficiency for offshore solar systems.
• Experimental Studies on Synthetic Fiber Ropes: He conducts experiments to analyze the dynamic properties and durability of synthetic fiber ropes used in mooring.
• Hydrodynamic Interactions of Multi-Module Floating Solar Farms: He investigates hydrodynamic interactions between multiple modules of floating solar farms, focusing on response amplitude operators (RAOs), hydrodynamic coefficients, forces, and other critical parameters.