Experimental and numerical investigation of the structural dynamic characteristics for both surfaces of a wind turbine blade

Wind turbine design and operation will benefit from a better understanding of blade dynamics. Usually, only one surface or one side of a 3D structure is measured in Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer (SLDV) tests due to test setup and instrumentation limitations. However, in this work, we demonstrate an approach to overcome these limitations while also using an SLDV that provides high spatial resolution measurement. In the case of a wind turbine blade, only one surface is typically measured; however, it is beneficial to investigate both blade global modes and the relative motions of the two blade surfaces by using both numerical models and experimental tests. This work creatively develops both experimental and numerical approaches to investigate the dynamics and the relative motions of both surfaces of the wind turbine blade from global and local perspectives. On the experimental side, experimental modal testing is conducted on both surfaces of the wind turbine blade with a high spatial resolution 3D SLDV. The two surfaces of the wind turbine blade are measured and stitched together to build the blade experimental mode shapes of both surfaces. A total of over 1500 points are scanned from both surfaces of the blade in a non-contact fashion to obtain not only the global bending modes (flap-wise and edge-wise), the global torsional modes, but also the localized panel mode shapes. On the numerical side, a finite element model of the blade is developed to obtain the numerical mode shapes. The experimental mode shapes on either one surface or both surfaces of the blade are used to validate the blade finite element model. The mode shape correspondence between the model and the test is also identified. With the availability of both experimental and numerical mode shapes, localized panel modes of the wind turbine blade are observed and characterized, and as a result the numerical model is validated. This work provides useful case studies for the design and structural analysis of wind turbine blades based on both the experimental observations and the validation of numerical models typical of those used for blade design and blade structural analysis.