Adhesive bonding of secondary steel components for offshore wind turbines

Offshore wind turbines consist of the main components tower, nacelle and rotor blades. Additionally, numerous secondary components are connected to the primary structure. These include amongst others boat landings, platforms, cable protection tubes and corrosion protection systems. Usually, these elements are connected to the primary structure by welding or bolts. Both joining techniques reduce the fatigue performance of the primary structure by inducing geometric and/or metallurgical notches. In contrast, by fastening the secondary components by adhesive bonding, no geometric or metallurgical notches are induced in the primary structure. Furthermore, the bonding can be carried out directly on the coating. In contrast to welded or bolted joints, adhesively bonded joints require a differing geometry that allows large bonding areas. This paper highlights the results of experimental investigations regarding the load bearing behaviour of adhesively bonded secondary components under a combination of lateral load and bending varying different geometrical parameters.