Wind-Induced Response Analysis and Fatigue Reliability Study of a Steel–Concrete Composite Wind Turbine Tower

Abstract

Taking an actual 3MW steel–concrete composite wind turbine tower as an example, a finite element model of the tower structure was established, and static bearing capacity and dynamic time history response analyses were performed to identify the locations where the structure is prone to failure. On this basis, the fatigue lives of the turbine tower at the most unfavorable locations were predicted using linear cumulative damage theory, and the fatigue reliability at the corresponding locations of the structure was calculated using the kriging–subset simulation method. The most dangerous locations of the tower that are most prone to failure are as follows: the bottom of the leeward side of the upper steel tube, the flange of the steel tube, the bolt-hole imprinting surface of the flange, the leeward side of the transition tube, and the top of the leeward side of the concrete tube. The failure risk of the flange and bolt-hole imprinting surface of the upper steel tube is relatively high, followed by that of the transition tube. This indicates that special attention should be given to the design and daily maintenance of this part. The fatigue resistance of the tower can be enhanced by improving the strength of the flange plate or increasing the number of bolts and strengthening the transition tube.

Keywords

• steel–concrete composite wind turbine tower
• wind-induced response
• fluid–structure interaction
• fatigue life
• fatigue reliability