Special Issue on Steel and Composite Structures for Offshore Energy Infrastructure
Published 30 September, 2025
Introduction:
The offshore environment provides rich energy resources such as offshore wind energy, wave energy, tidal energy, as well as oil and gas. Exploitation of these energy resources requires reliable and cost-efficient structural solutions as infrastructures are subjected to complex loading scenarios. Extreme loading conditions are expected to occur more frequently due to climate change. Dedicated research on offshore energy infrastructure is required to ensure structural integrity and to reduce the cost of the infrastructure.
In recent years, notable solutions in structural components and systems have been developed, such as floating offshore platforms, the use of high-strength steel for offshore structures, and the production and use of mechanically-lined bi-material steel pipes. State-of-the-art experimental and numerical methodologies are proposed and adopted in this emerging research field. Furthermore, the use of innovative tools based on machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) opens new opportunities for research and development in cost-efficient systems for the exploitation of offshore energy resources.
This special issue aims at bringing together experts on structural solutions made of steel and composite materials for the production, storage and transmission of offshore energy resources, to showcase recent advances in this challenging field.
The special issue invites contributors on offshore renewable energy structures, oil and gas offshore structural systems and pipelines, mooring systems, turbine structures, and material engineering for offshore applications. Studies on other relevant fields are welcome too.
Submission Instructions:
Please read the [Guide for Authors ] before submitting. All articles should be [submitted online], please select [VSI: Steel and Composite Structures for Offshore Energy Infrastructure] on submission.
Important Deadlines:
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Date First Submission Expected: 01/10/2025
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Final Manuscript Submission Deadline: 30/05/2026
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Editorial Acceptance Deadline: 30/08/2026
Guest editors:
- Dr Shanshan Cheng, Associate Professor, University of Plymouth, United Kingdom. Email: shanshan.cheng@plymouth.ac.uk
- Dr Xuemei Lin, Lecturer, University of Dundee, United Kingdom, Email: xlin001@dundee.ac.uk
- Prof Yuner Huang, Associate Professor, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Email: Yuner.huang@polyu.edu.hk
