Testing of a wind turbine blade spar cap to web joint subcomponent subjected to multiaxial loading

Abstract

A new three-axis subcomponent test set-up was developed to investigate the combined effect of web shear loading and local cross section deformation on the mechanical response and failure behaviour of a composite wind turbine blade spar cap to web T-joint. The representative subcomponent load case was extracted from a Finite Element model of the full blade subjected to pressure to suction side bending. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA) were employed to capture the deformation of the T-joint specimen. A multicamera DIC system was selected to overcome limitations of a single stereo DIC system in imaging three-dimensional structures. To control and minimise heat convection in the measurement space between the cameras and the structure, fans were used to and shown to improve the DIC results. The novel loading and imaging procedures are developed and demonstrated on a “dummy” steel T-joint specimen with approximately equivalent stiffness to the composite T-joint. The steel T-joint was successfully subjected to realistic multiaxial loading and DIC and TSA results with good signal to noise ratios were obtained. A description of the test set up for the composite joint is provided based on the experience gained on the steel joint.

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