Head of research group: Thomas Lykke Andersen

Research focus

• Ocean Waves and Hydrodynamics
• Breakwaters and Port Engineering
• Coastal Erosion and Protection
• Offshore Wind Structures
• Wave Energy Converters
• Mooring of Floating Bodies
• Experimental and Numerical Modelling of all above subjects

The Ocean and Coastal Engineering Research Group (OCERG) works with marine engineering problems and especially with analysis and design of hard and soft structures exposed to wave actions. The group has a strong background in coastal and port engineering, but focus is also towards development of wave energy and offshore wind.

The need for new knowledge
To achieve safe and economical marine structures resilient to climate change, new and fundamental knowledge as well as improved designs are required. For instance, we need improved knowledge of the development, occurrence and modelling of extreme waves and severe floodings and their interaction with structures. At the same time, we need to investigate and evaluate, numerically and experimentally, new design concepts for lowering the loads and the costs on the structures, and for wave energy converters ways to improve and validate the energy capture.

Research efforts
OCERG conducts research within the field of ocean waves, and the wave-structure interaction. Our research is focused around our experimental facilities where coastal and offshore structures are tested.

• Laboratories: In our state-of-the-art wave flume and 3-D wave basin we are testing a variety of conventional and innovative designs.
• Software: OCERG performs testing using numerical methods and is active in the development of numerical and experimental tools and software.
• Projects: OCERG participates in field testing and demonstration projects to assess reliability and performance in order to support the development of offshore renewables and novel structures.   

Collaboration
OCERG has a close and long-term collaboration with major national and international research institutions, developers, authorities and consultancy companies.