Post-buckling failure in multi-delaminated composite wind turbine blade materials

This study models the inter-laminar damage due to low velocity impacts on hybrid composite materials typical of those used in wind turbine blade structures. The effect of z-pinning using natural flax yarn on the critical buckling load and post-buckling behaviour of multi-delaminated composite beams was investigated. Laminated composite beams were pinned through their thickness using natural flax yarns to control delamination failure during the post-buckling process. A multiple delamination with a triangular shape was inserted into each of the beams to simulate the damage caused by a low velocity impact e.g. ice, on composite wind turbine blades. For a laminate design of [C90/G90]4, global collapse caused no delamination failure during the post-buckling test while delamination failure occurred for a laminate design of [C0/G0]4. In this case, z-pinning can significantly increase the failure resistance within a composite structure and it can then postpone the failure process. The buckling process of a multi-delaminated composite beam was also simulated by finite element software ANSYS and the results were substantially verified by relevant experimental results.

► To study the buckling and post-buckling resistance of multi-delaminated composite structures.
► To improve the post-buckling resistance of delaminated composite structures using natural flax yarn.
► To investigate the effect of z-pinning on the interlaminar crack propagation in composite materials.
► To develop FE techniques to model the buckling process of multi-delaminated composite structures using ANSYS.