Failure Test and Finite Element Simulation of a Large Wind Turbine Composite Blade under Static Loading

Xiao Chen, Wei Zhao, Xiao Lu Zhao and Jian Zhong Xu
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Xiao Chen: Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.11 Beisihuan West Road, Beijing 100190, China
Wei Zhao: Engineering Research Center on Wind Turbine Blades of Hebei Province, No.2011 Xiangyang North Street, Baoding 071051, Hebei, China
Xiao Lu Zhao: Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.11 Beisihuan West Road, Beijing 100190, China
Jian Zhong Xu: Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.11 Beisihuan West Road, Beijing 100190, China

Energies, 2014, vol. 7, issue 4, 1-24

Abstract: This study presented a failure analysis of a 52.3 m composite wind turbine blade under static loading. Complex failure characteristics exhibited at the transition region of the blade were thoroughly examined and typical failure modes were indentified. In order to predict multiple failure modes observed in the tests and gain more insights into the failure mechanisms of the blade, a Finite Element (FE) simulation was performed using a global-local modeling approach and Progressive Failure Analysis (PFA) techniques which took into account material failure and property degradation. Failure process and failure characteristics of the transition region were satisfactorily reproduced in the simulation, and it was found that accumulated delamination in spar cap and shear web failure at the transition region were the main reasons for the blade to collapse. Local buckling played an important role in the failure process by increasing local out-of-plane deformation, while the Brazier effect was found not to be responsible for the blade failure.

Keywords: wind energy; blade failure; composite; delamination; local buckling; progressive failure (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: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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