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Analysis of load characteristics of wind turbine blade root bolts under loosened and fractured conditions

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Abstract

The loosening and fracture of the blade root bolt, a crucial link between the blade and hub, significantly affect the wind turbine's safe operation. To address this issue, the load redistribution after loosening and fracture of the blade root bolts is considered first. The theoretical model of axial force calculation of the blade root bolts is then deduced and verified through tests. Subsequently, a finite element model of the blade root bolt connection structure is established, and its effectiveness is analyzed. Finally, based on the finite element model, the effects of the preload force, the number of loosened or fractured, and the area of loosened or fractured on the loading characteristics of blade root bolts are investigated. Results show that when the preload force of the loosened blade root bolts is not zero, its axial stress variation law is the same as its preload force variation law. When the preload force is zero, the axial stress of the blade root bolts with zero preload force increases, whereas the axial stress of the non-loosened blade root bolts decreases. Exceeding the material's ultimate strength causes the blade root bolt to fracture. The axial stress in the loosened blade root bolts around the center of the fractured decreases, and the magnitude of the axial stresses of the surrounding non-loosened blade root bolts increases and then decreases along the fractured center to both sides. The findings can offer theoretical guidance for predicting the fatigue life of blade root bolts and their online monitoring.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 52205098), Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, China (Grant No. 2024JJ8274) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (grant number 2021M690976).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, **angtan, 411201, China

    Zhipeng Li, Shuyi Yang, Fan Zhang, Yongchun Ding, Yaowei Song & **anlong He

Authors
  1. Zhipeng Li
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  2. Shuyi Yang
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  3. Fan Zhang
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  4. Yongchun Ding
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  5. Yaowei Song
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  6. **anlong He
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shuyi Yang.

Additional information

Zhipeng Li is currently a master’s degree candidate in mechanical engineering at the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, **angtan, China. His main research interests are wind turbine mechanical dynamics and fatigue life prediction.

Shuyi Yang is currently a Professor at the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, **angtan, China. She received her Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from China University of Mining and Technology in 2009. Her research interests include mechanical dynamics, engineering testing, and signal processing.

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Li, Z., Yang, S., Zhang, F. et al. Analysis of load characteristics of wind turbine blade root bolts under loosened and fractured conditions. J Mech Sci Technol 38, 1731–1741 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-024-0309-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-024-0309-4

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