Documents published in Scipedia

• Development and integration of printed strain gauge-based sensors for structural health monitoring in composite material repairs of wind turbine blades

  E. TELLECHEA, V. RAMÍREZ, J. ALÍAS, J. Pena, N. JIMÉNEZ, L. JOFRÉ, M. Lasheras, U. Larraya

  Materiales Compuestos (2026). Vol. 09 - Comunicaciones MatComp25 (2025), (Núm. 3 - Caracterización Experimental), 14

  
  

  Abstract

  Structural health monitoring is essential to ensure safety and extend the service life of critical components in renewable energy systems, such as repaired wind turbine blades. This study presents the development of strain gauges printed using advanced functional printing techniques, optimized for integration into composite materials and tailored to the mechanical characteristics of repaired areas to assess the effectiveness and durability of structural repairs. The integration of these sensors would enable real-time monitoring of key parameters, such as microstrains, during the operation of the blade after repair. The experimental work included the printing of strain gauges, evaluation of different substrates, and cyclic loading tests under controlled conditions to assess the accuracy and sensitivity of the printed gauges. Additionally, composite material coupons were characterized under tensile and compressive loads to analyse the impact of gauge integration on the mechanical properties of the composite. Preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, although full validation is required, including aging studies, testing in real operational environments, and exposure to extreme temperature variations prior to industrial implementation.

  Abstract
  Structural health monitoring is essential to ensure safety and extend the service life of critical components in renewable energy systems, such as repaired wind turbine blades. [...]

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