Re-Wind presents Cost Data for BladeBridges at FRPRCS15/APFIS8 Shenzhen China Dec 10-14 2022

Abstract

This paper presents case studies of repurposing projects of decommissioned wind turbine blades in architectural and structural engineering applications conducted under a multinational research project entitled “Re-Wind” (www.re-wind.info) that was funded by the US-Ireland Tripartite program. The group has worked closely together in the Re-Wind Network over the past five years to conduct research on the topic of repurposing of decommissioned FRP wind turbine blades. Repurposing is defined by the Re-Wind team as the re-engineering, redesigning and remanufacturing of a wind blade that has reached the end of its life on a turbine and taken out of service and then reused as a load-bearing structural element in a new structure (e.g., bridge, transmission pole, sound barrier, sea-wall, shelter). Additional repurposing examples are provided in the publicly available Re-Wind Design Catalog. The Re-Wind Network is the first group to develop practical methods and design procedures to make these new “second-life” structures. The Network has designed and constructed two full-size pedestrian and bicycle bridges – one in Cork, Ireland and the other in Draperstown, Northern Ireland, UK.  The paper describes the design, testing and construction of the two bridges. Two additional bridges that are currently being designed for construction in Atlanta, GA, USA are described.