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A. Svarnas
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Wind Turbine Blade Structural Reuse
A Scalable Process for Self-Supported Architectural Components
The rapid expansion of global wind energy infrastructure has inadvertently created an emerging waste management challenge, with projections estimating 43.4 million tonnes of decommissioned wind turbine blade (WTB) waste by 2050. Current end-of-life pathways present significant environmental concerns, as the WTB composite structure is difficult to recycle and therefore they are frequently landfilled, incinerated, or downcycled. Structural reuse has been identified as one of the highest-value circular options for decommissioned WTBs, because it preserves much of the blades’ embodied energy and structural capacity. However, its widespread adoption remains limited by the complex geometry and heterogeneous material composition of WTBs, the scarcity of technical documentation, regulatory barriers, and a broader lack of trust in circular construction products. This thesis investigates how decommissioned WTBs can be structurally reused as scalable, self-supported architectural components, introducing the concept of scalable circularity as a framework for evaluating repurposing strategies.
The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating literature review, semi-structured interviews with European wind-industry stakeholders, comparative analysis of repurposing case studies, design development, and experimental structural testing. Specifically, compression tests were conducted on leading edge segments from a Fraunhofer-type blade to evaluate their suitability as load-bearing elements within the built environment.
The findings indicate that the most significant barriers to WTB repurposing are systemic rather than technical, including regulatory waste classifications, fragmented decommissioning supply chains, limited access to technical information, and industry liability concerns. The case studies comparative analysis identifies the segmentation of WTBs into near-standardised panels as the most viable strategy for widespread architectural application within the scalable circularity framework. Furthermore, compression tests demonstrate that leading edge segments possess sufficient compressive capacity to function as load-bearing mullions, while they remained largely elastic and retained significant post-fracture load-bearing capacity during testing.
Building upon these findings, the thesis proposes a modular ventilated façade system that utilises leading-edge segments as mullions, spar caps as beams, and sandwich shell and shear web panels as cladding. The proposed methodology demonstrates the potential to reduce embodied carbon by 65–96% compared with conventional façade systems. For the selected case study of a medium-sized office building, the complete façade could be constructed using material from only two turbines, demonstrating that WTB structural reuse has strong potential as a scalable, low-carbon strategy for the built environment. ...
The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating literature review, semi-structured interviews with European wind-industry stakeholders, comparative analysis of repurposing case studies, design development, and experimental structural testing. Specifically, compression tests were conducted on leading edge segments from a Fraunhofer-type blade to evaluate their suitability as load-bearing elements within the built environment.
The findings indicate that the most significant barriers to WTB repurposing are systemic rather than technical, including regulatory waste classifications, fragmented decommissioning supply chains, limited access to technical information, and industry liability concerns. The case studies comparative analysis identifies the segmentation of WTBs into near-standardised panels as the most viable strategy for widespread architectural application within the scalable circularity framework. Furthermore, compression tests demonstrate that leading edge segments possess sufficient compressive capacity to function as load-bearing mullions, while they remained largely elastic and retained significant post-fracture load-bearing capacity during testing.
Building upon these findings, the thesis proposes a modular ventilated façade system that utilises leading-edge segments as mullions, spar caps as beams, and sandwich shell and shear web panels as cladding. The proposed methodology demonstrates the potential to reduce embodied carbon by 65–96% compared with conventional façade systems. For the selected case study of a medium-sized office building, the complete façade could be constructed using material from only two turbines, demonstrating that WTB structural reuse has strong potential as a scalable, low-carbon strategy for the built environment. ...
The rapid expansion of global wind energy infrastructure has inadvertently created an emerging waste management challenge, with projections estimating 43.4 million tonnes of decommissioned wind turbine blade (WTB) waste by 2050. Current end-of-life pathways present significant environmental concerns, as the WTB composite structure is difficult to recycle and therefore they are frequently landfilled, incinerated, or downcycled. Structural reuse has been identified as one of the highest-value circular options for decommissioned WTBs, because it preserves much of the blades’ embodied energy and structural capacity. However, its widespread adoption remains limited by the complex geometry and heterogeneous material composition of WTBs, the scarcity of technical documentation, regulatory barriers, and a broader lack of trust in circular construction products. This thesis investigates how decommissioned WTBs can be structurally reused as scalable, self-supported architectural components, introducing the concept of scalable circularity as a framework for evaluating repurposing strategies.
The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating literature review, semi-structured interviews with European wind-industry stakeholders, comparative analysis of repurposing case studies, design development, and experimental structural testing. Specifically, compression tests were conducted on leading edge segments from a Fraunhofer-type blade to evaluate their suitability as load-bearing elements within the built environment.
The findings indicate that the most significant barriers to WTB repurposing are systemic rather than technical, including regulatory waste classifications, fragmented decommissioning supply chains, limited access to technical information, and industry liability concerns. The case studies comparative analysis identifies the segmentation of WTBs into near-standardised panels as the most viable strategy for widespread architectural application within the scalable circularity framework. Furthermore, compression tests demonstrate that leading edge segments possess sufficient compressive capacity to function as load-bearing mullions, while they remained largely elastic and retained significant post-fracture load-bearing capacity during testing.
Building upon these findings, the thesis proposes a modular ventilated façade system that utilises leading-edge segments as mullions, spar caps as beams, and sandwich shell and shear web panels as cladding. The proposed methodology demonstrates the potential to reduce embodied carbon by 65–96% compared with conventional façade systems. For the selected case study of a medium-sized office building, the complete façade could be constructed using material from only two turbines, demonstrating that WTB structural reuse has strong potential as a scalable, low-carbon strategy for the built environment.
The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating literature review, semi-structured interviews with European wind-industry stakeholders, comparative analysis of repurposing case studies, design development, and experimental structural testing. Specifically, compression tests were conducted on leading edge segments from a Fraunhofer-type blade to evaluate their suitability as load-bearing elements within the built environment.
The findings indicate that the most significant barriers to WTB repurposing are systemic rather than technical, including regulatory waste classifications, fragmented decommissioning supply chains, limited access to technical information, and industry liability concerns. The case studies comparative analysis identifies the segmentation of WTBs into near-standardised panels as the most viable strategy for widespread architectural application within the scalable circularity framework. Furthermore, compression tests demonstrate that leading edge segments possess sufficient compressive capacity to function as load-bearing mullions, while they remained largely elastic and retained significant post-fracture load-bearing capacity during testing.
Building upon these findings, the thesis proposes a modular ventilated façade system that utilises leading-edge segments as mullions, spar caps as beams, and sandwich shell and shear web panels as cladding. The proposed methodology demonstrates the potential to reduce embodied carbon by 65–96% compared with conventional façade systems. For the selected case study of a medium-sized office building, the complete façade could be constructed using material from only two turbines, demonstrating that WTB structural reuse has strong potential as a scalable, low-carbon strategy for the built environment.