SOFT-SPOT® Foundation

The SOFT-SPOT® was developed by CTE Wind’s engineering team and is used in many countries around the world. This design optimises the bill of quantities by saving concrete and reinforcement and earthworks by reducing the diameter of the foundation. It is easy to construct and does not change the design of the gravity foundation.

More than 3000 foundations have already been built or are under construction all over the world : Brazil, France, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Indonesia, Mexico, Netherlands, Serbia, Sweden, Germany, Turkey, Vietnam and Thailand to name but a few.

These projects have enabled savings of up to 20% in the volume of concrete, a reduction in the diameter of the foundation and a reduction in the total weight of rebars of up to 11%.

Layer of soft material

CTE WIND Civil Engineering presents a new foundation system for wind turbines, a shallow gravity foundation with SOFT-SPOT®. By placing a layer of soft material (typically an EPS) under the central part of the foundation, the plate effectively acts as a ring foundation in terms of soil-structure interaction.

“Simply the most economical foundation”

An important point is, that the construction of the soft layer does not require any additional training of site workers. The construction is very simple and the material for the soft layer can be purchased anywhere in the world.

Or, as one customer (a construction company) pointed out: “It is simply the most economical foundation you can choose“.