UTILISATION OF HYBRID NANOCLAY-CFRP COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN THE ROOT AREAS OF WIND TURBINE BLADES USING ABAQUS FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

In the present study, four different V39 blade models with length 12.8 m have been created and numerical simulation FEA were performed; Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP), whole model made of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers/ nanoclay (2%), Hybrid Glass and Carbon/nanoclay (2%) and Hybrid Glass and Carbon/nanoclay (5%). The objective was designed to determine the efficient utilization of nanoclay synthesized with carbon fiber reinforced polymer in the joining zone between the root and the blade. The most obvious finding to emerge from this study is that the modest addition of nanoclay (2%) with carbon fiber reinforced polymer leads to a significant stiffer blade, with a very small deflection, about 70% less than the baseline one made of glass. However, Hybrid Glass and Carbon/nanoclay (2%) model is considered to be safer as it has a lower stress concentration than others about (52.84 N/m2). A reasonable considering that smaller deflections in the blades may decrease the probability of failure for whole blade model in the root area as well as decrease the total costs. Therefore, it can be found that Nanoclay-CFRP hybrid blades may suffer fewer cracks due to their greater stiffness, durability and a superior fatigue resistance which are the main focus of this study. In addition, the buckling analysis highlighted the importance of sandwich structures. The findings contribute to decisions related to materials selection, two-steps homogenization were performed, structural aerodynamic design, lay up schedule proposed. When it comes to the buckling analysis, its results released an evidence that all blade models were failed duo to the fact these blade models were not optimized for this analysis.