New indicator for damage localization in a thick adhesive joint of a composite material used in a wind turbine blade

In this paper, a new indicator to localize fatigue damage in fibre glass composite structure, i.e. spar cap shear web thick adhesive joint of wind turbine blade, is presented. This based on the effect damping phase mode shapes structure. When occurs, increases defective area and leads an increase local energy dissipation. non-uniformity dissipation throughout structure causes vibrate with whose structural elements no longer have same creating complex shapes. A visco-elastic finite element (FE) vibration model developed for blade. The mass, stiffness, matrix extracted from FE are used determine results show that damaged located where spatial derivative components minimum. Changes strongly dependent location damage. locations strain modal greater, change also higher.