MONITORING SCALABLE WTB USING COMPLEMENTARY NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING METHODS

Abstract

Nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques for in-service inspection and determination of high risk degradation regions of wind turbines blades (WTB) are growing, being based on numerous studies and researches. The most common defects in WTB are microscopic and mesoscopic faults appeared in matrix, no detected by classical NDT (i.e. using phased array sensors), broken fibers can also appear and can develop under moderated loads, or cracks and delaminations due to low energy impacts, etc. This paper presents the results obtained from testing and monitoring of the scalable blade using wireless sensors (WRS) placed on critical location on blade. In order to monitories the strain/stress during the tests, the determination of the location and the nature of defects have been simulated using finite element method (FEM).