A finite element analysis of composite T-joints used in wind turbine blades

Wind turbine blade failures are due to various complicated reasons but blade fracture accounts for most accidents. The composite materials used in blade construction are typically woven fabrics. The formation of internal detailed shapes within the blade, allowing features such as spars and shear webs, inevitably requires these 2D material configurations to be formed into 3D shapes. This introduces sites within the structure where load transfer occurs across regions with no fibre reinforcement. These weak areas become sites for damage initiation. This study analyses the way the composite T-joint fails and develops methods of improving performance and enhancing durability.