Last updated: 5 November 2023
In Work Package 5, a methodology to simulate a whole tidal blade, identify and simulate critical sections and obtain fast results on the detailed models when applying different load spectra on the tidal blade was defined and applied to a tidal blade design. Besides that, the detailed FEM simulation of critical sections showed equivalent results to the whole tidal blade models, but with an accurate representation of geometric details and stress fields. Due to geometry modelisation effects, some of the concentrator zones shown in 2D submodels were eliminated with the 3D technique as a consequence of the geometry implementation.
In addition, a methodology for damage evaluation under cyclic loads using an Abaqus User Subroutine UEL has been proposed. The routine evaluates the behaviour of cohesive elements both under static and fatigue loads. The proposed methodology has been applied first at the coupon level and compared to experimental tests, obtaining a good correlation. It has been found that the coupon level for delamination and debonding the crack length and the number of cycles applied follow the same trend observed in the experimental work, focussing on the first load applied in the experiments when several load levels have been used.
The methodology has been applied to the most critical areas of the whole blade model. Those areas have been identified in a previous analysis, and submodels of the selected areas have been created. It must be considered that for a proper application of the methodology, it is necessary to characterise the material with an appropriate campaign as the one presented in Deliverable 4.3 since fatigue response is highly dependent on the material properties, geometry of the component and the loads applied. In addition, the user subroutine was initially designed to reproduce properly mode I loadings. In recent years, improvements have been proposed to include a better description of mode II and mixed mode and should be considered in the future.
Deliverable 5.2 and 4.3 are not available for download.