Validation of a 20 m Wind Turbine Blade Model

In the projects Smartblades and 2 a full-scale 20 m rotor blade for NREL CART3 wind turbine was designed, built tested. The intended to have strong bending–torsion coupling. By means of experiments, proof technology in question supposed be provided. experimental work accompanied by simulations. aim paper describe publish reference finite element model blade. validation procedure is presented, as are modelling strategy limitations model. created using quadratic shell elements solid elements. Different data sets were used validation. First, static test bench experiments used. comprised comparison global displacement local strain measurements various flap edge bending tests torsion unit loading tests. Second, blades’ eigenfrequencies eigenvectors clamped free–free scenarios Third, mass distributions real investigated. provides evaluated data, all analysed corresponding models Abaqus, Ansys Nastran formats dataset.