Fatigue in wind energy plants
Table of contents
Project data
Titel | Title TP Ermüdungsverhalten von druckschwellbeanspruchtem Beton sowie Stahl- und Spannbetonbauteilen mit und ohne trockene Fugen im Verbundvorhaben WinConFat-Structure: Bauteilermüdung von Windenergieanlagen aus Stahlbeton und Spannbeton unter hochzyklischer Beanspruchung | SP Fatigue behavior of concrete subjected to compressive fatigue loads as well as reinforced and prestressed concrete components with and without dry joints within the joint research project WinConFat-Structure: Fatigue of components of wind turbines made of reinforced and prestressed concrete under high cyclic loading Förderer | Funding Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK) Zeitraum | Period 05/2022 – 04/2025 Verbundvorhaben- und Teilprojektleiter | Leader of joint and subproject Prof. Dr.-Ing. Steffen Marx Team | Team Dennis Birkner, M.Sc. Dipl.-Ing. Clara Schramm Dipl.-Ing. Florian Fürll Projektpartner | Project partners Institut für Massivbau, Leibniz Universität Hannover, | Institut für Massivbau, RWTH Aachen University | Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Abteilung 7 Bauwerkssicherheit, Berlin Assoziierte Partner | Associated partners Deutscher Ausschuss für Stahlbeton (DAfStb), Berlin | Deutscher Beton- und Bautechnik-Verein E.V. (DBV), Berlin | e.disnatur GmbH, Potsdam | H+P Ingenieure GmbH, Aachen | Max Bögl Bauservice GmbH & Co. KG, Neumarkt | Nordex SE & Co. KG, Hamburg | TÜV Nord EnSys GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg | Vallen Systeme GmbH, Icking |
Report from the yearbook 2022
Fatigue of wind energy turbines
A key element in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the extension of renewable energies, with wind energy playing a leading role. In this context, not only the efficient operation of wind turbines is important, but also the resource-efficient production of tower structures. The extensive fatigue tests carried out on normal and high-strength concrete in the previous joint research project WinConFat (FKZ 0324016) were focused on the material level. For the application in design standards, additional analyses on structural components beyond the pure material investigations are demanded by the regulatory authorities. In the 2022 started sub-project of the joint project WinConFat-Structure, this still outstanding transfer of results from the material level to the component or structure level is addressed.
The focus is on three topics. The first research focus is on the influence of reinforcement on the fatigue resistance of overcompressed structural components. The results from fatigue tests on large-scale reinforced concrete beams are transferred into numerical models. The 2nd main research focus is on the fatigue behavior of dry structural joints. Systematic experimental and numerical investigations deliver information in order to analyze the influence of fatigue loaded horizontal and vertical joints in wind turbines on the load-bearing behavior. The application of the proven resonance-based testing technology makes investigations in the necessary high cycle fatigue range possible. The specimens are beams and blocks with dry joints each which are compressed by prestressing. In the third research focus, a stochastically based evaluation of the fatigue behavior of concrete subjected to compressive swell loading is to be carried out in order to optimize the existing safety concept.
At the end of the project, recommendations for design concepts with regard to the respective focal points are to be developed from all three research focuses. The involvement of the Deutscher Ausschuss für Stahlbeton (DAfStb, German Committee for Steel-reinforced Concrete) and Deutscher Beton- und Bautechnik-Verein E.V. (DBV, German Concrete and Construction Technology Association E.V.) as associated partners will ensure the transfer of the recommendations into design practice.
Short description
A key element in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the extension of renewable energies, with wind energy playing a leading role. In this context, not only the efficient operation of wind turbines is important, but also the resource-efficient production of tower structures. The extensive fatigue tests carried out on normal and high-strength concrete in the previous joint research project WinConFat (FKZ 0324016) were focused on the material level. For the application in design standards, additional analyses on structural components beyond the pure material investigations are demanded by the regulatory authorities. In the now approved sub-project of the joint project 'WinConFat-Structure', this still outstanding transfer of results from the material level to the component or structure level is addressed.
The focus is on three work packages. The first research focus deals with the influence of reinforcement on fatigue life in overcompressed structural components. The second main research focus is on the fatigue behavior of dry structural joints. For this purpose, systematic experimental and numerical investigations are to be carried out in order to analyze the influence of fatigue loaded horizontal and vertical joints in wind turbines on the load-bearing behavior. In the third research focus, a stochastically based evaluation of the fatigue behavior of concrete subjected to compressive swell loading is to be carried out in order to optimize the existing safety concept. At the end of the project, recommendations for design concepts with regard to the respective focal points are to be developed from all three research focuses. The involvement of the DAfStb and DBV as associated partners will ensure the transfer of the recommendations into design practice.