Failure Analysis of Large-Scale Wind Power Structure under Simulated Typhoon

Recently, a number of wind power structures in tropical cyclone zones are damaged by typhoon. In order to study the failure mechanics and failure modes of wind power structure subjected to typhoon, the typhoon wind field in Dongtai wind farm is simulated based on the classical autoregressive (AR) model and a regional power-spectrum-density (PSD) model, and the simulated spectrum is verified to be in good agreement with the target spectrum. An integrated finite element (FE) model of wind power structure, composed of rotor, nacelle, tower, pile cap, and PHC piles, is established. Modal analysis reveals that pile stiffness decreases the structure’s natural frequencies, especially for high order frequencies. Structural responses under the simulated typhoon are calculated by dynamic analysis. Results show that tower buckling is the most prone failure mode of the structure. The horizontal displacement of the hub and the axial force of the most unfavorable piles are both under the limit. This study provides a way to the antityphoon design of large-scale wind power structures.