Abstract
In wind turbine towers, the preferred design is circular tubes that are connected by a bolted flange joint. The design is typically that of an L-flange resulting in an eccentrically loaded bolted connection. The eccentricity results in a non-linear relationship between external load on the tower and the tensile force in the bolt. In the literature and also in standards,different models are presented for this important non-linear response. In the present paper, a simplified expression for the non-linear force response is presented based on finite element calculations using contact analysis. The L-flange connection is in essence a bad design because it leads to a non-optimal ratio between external force and bolt force. Furthermore,bolt bending results in an even higher bolt stress resulting in a reduction of strength. The present paper presents simple modifications of the L-flange design that considerably improves the connection strength.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Journal | Wind Energy |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 6 |
Pages (from-to) | 1069-1082 |
ISSN | 1095-4244 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Keywords
- L-flange
- Bolt
- Eccentric
- Contact
- Design
- FE