Multilayer Leading Edge Protection Systems of Wind Turbine Blades. A Review of Material Technology and Damage Modelling

The use of composites opens great prospects in the design and manufacture of the wind turbine blades due to their optimization versatility. Blade manufacturers employ polymeric surface materials to protect the composite structure from exposure to repeated impact of rain droplets which are mostly contributing to the leading edge erosion of wind turbine blades. Modelling tools considering multicomplex stress states and the material degradation are required for design purposes toward protection performance. This investigation summarizes a initial review based on two main issues: firstly, the LEP material configuration used in industry as a multilayer system considering the blade integration technology and, secondly, the modelling techniques and numerical procedures currently used to predict both wear surface erosion and interface delamination failure. The work is conducted in the framework of the IEA Wind TCP (International Energy Agency Wind Technology Collaboration Programme) - Task 46 Erosion of wind turbine blades.