Strength Evaluation and Failure Prediction of a Composite Wind Turbine Blade Using Finite Element Analysis

Strength evaluation and failure prediction on a modern composite wind turbine blade have been conducted using finite element analysis. A 3-dimensional finite element model has been developed. Stresses and deflections in the blade under extreme storm conditions have been investigated for different materials. The conventional wood design turbine blade has been compared with the advanced E-glass fiber and Carbon epoxy composite blades. Strength has been analyzed and compared for blades with different laminated layer stacking sequences and fiber orientations for a composite material. Safety design and failure prediction have been conducted based on the different failure criteria. The simulation error estimation has been evaluated. Simulation results have shown that finite element analysis is crucial for designing and optimizing composite wind turbine blades.