Design of wind turbines with Ultra-High Performance Concrete

Abstract

Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) has proven an asset for bridge design as it significantly reduces costs. However, UHPC has not been applied yet to wind turbine technology. Design codes do not propose any recommendations or guidance for the towers, thus encouraging the engineer to use less effective traditional materials like steel. The purpose of this thesis is to propose an efficient way to design UHPC wind turbines. First is explained the strategy to retain an optimal design. Then, the comparison with a similar steel model demonstrates that UHPC is both an economical and sustainable design solution for towers. This work is based on a combination of the UHPC 1D model developed at MIT and the interim recommendations provided by Association Franqaise de Genie Civil. The expression of the design loads and the resistant loads for a UHPC circular hollow section are presented based on available design codes. Then, the optimization process based on the previous model is established. It is achieved using two programs in order to satisfy both the Service Limit State (SLS) and the Ultimate Limit State (ULS). The best design is obtained for a SLS criteria deflection of L/800. The cost of material is reduced by a factor between 2 and 3 in comparison with traditional steel. All of this confirms that UHPC could be an innovative engineering solution for the realization of new wind turbine towers.