Influence of Load Misalignment on T-bolts Failure in Wind Turbine Blades
摘要
The T-bolt connection for wind blades has become a popular solution, but it has also exhibited premature failures in wind turbines. The experimental data of the blade static test showed the ideal assembly conditions of the T-bolt do not exist, there is a load misalignment. So, an additional variable must be taken into consideration in design calculations. This paper presents both ultimate stress and fatigue analysis to determine the influence of load misalignment on the stress state of T-bolts, which have been identified as components prone to suffer fatigue damage. These failures have a high impact on the operation of wind turbine blades. The results showed that the bending of T-bolts directly impacts the safety factors in both the ultimate stress and fatigue analyses, therefore, making it a critical cause of failure. Additionally, the inclination of the T-bolt α was proposed to define permissible values in the design or prevent failure.