Introduction - Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines - page 11

BOX 1-3
Key Concepts: Verification, Certification,
and Classification
Verification. Verification is the process of determining whether
a design, procedure, measurement, or other activity follows a
specified standard, guideline, design basis, or other definition
as specified for a project. Verification can apply to design, fabri-
cation, or installation. For instance, if the intent is that a project's
turbines be designed according to the International Electro-
technical Commission 61400-3 standard, a verifier would assess
whether the requirements of that standard were followed and were
correctly applied, good practice was followed, and no significant
deficiencies were evident. A verifier may perform independent cal-
culations or tests.
Certification. Certification of a design, fabrication, or installation
implies a higher level of responsibility on the part of the reviewer
than does verification. To certify a design, for instance, indepen-
dent design calculations or testing would likely be performed by
the certifier as a check, rather than the certifier simply assessing
whether the design was in accordance with the specified standard
and design basis and whether the resulting design is accurate.
The term “certification” was likely derived from the statutory
requirement in the United Kingdom that an offshore oil and gas
facility receive a “certificate of fitness” from an appointed certi-
fying authority on the basis of an independent assessment of the
design, method of construction, and operations manual and
associated surveys carried out by surveyors appointed by the
certifying authority.
Classification. Nongovernmental organizations and private com-
panies that establish and maintain technical rules and guidelines
for the design, construction, and operation of ships and offshore
structures are commonly known as “classification societies.”
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