Build the inspection around the installed foundation
SVC starts with the foundation drawing, asset reference and inspection objectives. A steel pile, a concrete element and a connection assembly require different observation points and acceptance criteria. The installed arrangement determines the worklist; the name of a wind project alone does not establish its foundation configuration.
Provide the relevant as-built drawing and previous findings. Agree the elevations, faces, connections and seabed interfaces to be examined. Numbering those locations before diving helps engineers compare subsequent inspections with the same areas.
Visual inspection and local cleaning
Our divers record the accessible underwater surfaces and note visible coating damage, corrosion, concrete defects, damaged fittings, debris or marine growth affecting inspection. General views establish location, followed by close views of the identified areas. Use the agreed scale or measurement reference when dimensions are required.
SVC cleans nominated inspection areas using a method suited to the surface and coating. Local cleaning exposes the surface needed for examination while preserving the asset’s protective system. Record the area before and after cleaning and identify any surface that remains obscured.
Anodes and corrosion-protection observations
The inspection can record the location, attachment and visible condition of sacrificial anodes where fitted. Our report links the observation to the anode identification and available original dimensions. An anode that appears consumed, missing or insecure needs review against the corrosion-protection design.
Cathodic-protection potential measurements require a defined procedure, suitable calibrated equipment and agreed measurement points. Include those requirements explicitly when commissioning the work. Visual appearance alone cannot establish whether the protection system is performing adequately.
Seabed interface, scour indications and protection components
Divers can inspect accessible foundation-to-seabed interfaces and record visible erosion, deposits, displaced protection materials or unsupported components. State the local reference points and requested dimensions. A small close inspection covers the examined area, not the entire seabed around a wind farm.
Broader scour assessment needs appropriate survey coverage and comparison with baseline data. If the engineer needs bathymetry, sonar or a wider seabed model, identify that survey as part of the package. SVC coordinates the close visual attendance with the survey and engineering work so findings can be considered together.
Specialist measurements and repair follow-up
Where the inspection plan calls for thickness measurement or underwater NDT, define the material, exact locations, surface preparation, method, personnel qualifications and reporting requirements. Those activities are distinct from general visual recording and are included when the required resources and project acceptance are agreed.
If a defect needs repair, the engineer specifies the repair boundary, materials and acceptance checks. SVC can then prepare the corresponding underwater attendance and completion record. The inspection report describes findings; structural fitness and life-extension decisions remain with the responsible engineer and asset owner.
Control the interface with construction and vessel work
SVC agrees the diving access, vessel station-keeping and emergency arrangements with the site team. Piling, drilling, dredging, lifting, anchors, thrusters and other energy sources affecting the dive area need to be identified in the simultaneous-operations and isolation plan. The supervisor confirms the agreed conditions before starting each task.
For repeat inspections, provide recent changes to access, fittings, cables and seabed protection. The wind farm diving overview explains how the foundation package connects with buoy and cable attendance.
What does the client receive?
The report identifies the structure, inspected locations, date, conditions, inspection method and relevant drawings. It includes photographs or video linked to each finding, measurements within the agreed scope, inaccessible areas and a follow-up list. Recorded defects can then be compared against the project’s acceptance criteria without confusing an uninspected surface with a satisfactory result.
When should foundations be inspected?
Useful inspection points include construction handover, planned O&M attendance and an event such as vessel contact or severe weather. The asset owner and engineer set the actual programme from design, risk, previous findings and manufacturer requirements. See periodic underwater maintenance for the repeat-inspection record structure.
What is needed for a foundation-inspection quotation?
Email [email protected] the foundation IDs, drawings, depths, previous reports, required visual coverage and any CP, NDT or survey requirements. Include the platform, access, isolation arrangements, attendance window and report or witness requirements.