Work package 7

Objective of WP 7

- is to reduce the uncertainty in the design of structural load carrying components of the wind turbine, in order to increase efficiency and reliability of future wind turbines. The focal point is on the rotor blades and support structure (i.e. the tower and substructure in offshore wind turbines). The activities focus on validating the available structural design tools, through comparing numerical simulations with experimental data. Interest falls on blade subcomponents to evaluate and later improve the available modeling methodologies with respect to structural details of importance (e.g. adhesive joints). In parallel, grouted joints and soil-structure interaction are the key topics for the support structures. In both endeavors (blade, support structure) care is put to make available high quality material data and material models, implying revisiting material properties databases and filling missing information through new experiments. On the experimental side, improvements are foreseen by implementing structural health monitoring techniques to capture failure onset and damage progression during testing, as well as application of non-destructive techniques to identify material and manufacturing tolerances (prior the test) and extend and location of damage (after the test). All information will be used for interpretation of data and facilitate comparison between simulation and testing. The ultimate goal is to improve the analysis methods and methodologies, based on the validation findings, especially in the direction of probabilistic analysis.