KompCert: Introduction of component tests as part of the development and certification of rotor blades for wind turbines

Components tests on wind turbine rotor blades tend to be the exception rather than the rule at the moment, and there are no signs of a systematic move to establish generally accepted guidelines for such tests.  However, this has already been the successful way of doing things in the aviation industry and in many other areas of industry for a long time.

The aim of this project is to remedy the situation and to develop general guidelines for new test procedures for rotor blades. Component testing has economic advantages over current verification methods when an existing design is to be scaled up or only minor or local changes are to be made to the blade structure.

The project aims to investigate, based on a rotor blade trailing edge bond, how transferability is to be verified – FEA for the blade –> FEA for the component –> Testing of the component – and what deviations arise due to the change in boundary conditions. The test procedure for a more realistic adhesive test is also being closely examined by GL RC for the purpose of its acceptance as a means of compliance.