Comparison of Shell and Solid Finite Element Models for the Static Certification Tests of a 43 m Wind Turbine Blade

Mathijs Peeters, Gilberto Santo, Joris Degroote and Wim Van Paepegem
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Mathijs Peeters: Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park–Campus A, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 903, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
Gilberto Santo: Department of Flow, Heat and Combustion Mechanics, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Joris Degroote: Department of Flow, Heat and Combustion Mechanics, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Wim Van Paepegem: Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park–Campus A, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 903, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: A commercial 43 m wind turbine blade was tested under static loads. During these tests, loads, displacements, and local strains were recorded. In this work, the blade was modeled using the finite element method. Both a segment of the spar structure and the full-scale blade were modeled. In both cases, conventional outer mold layer shell and layered solid models were created by means of an in-house developed software tool. First, the boundary conditions and settings for modeling the tests were explored. Next, the behavior of a spar segment under different modeling methods was investigated. Finally, the full-scale blade tests were conducted. The resulting displacements and longitudinal and transverse strains were investigated. It was found that for the considered load case, the differences between the shell and solid models are limited. Thus, it is concluded that the shell representation is sufficiently accurate.

Keywords: wind turbine blade; static testing; finite element modelling; solid; shell (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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