As wind turbines increase in age and size, structural issues at the blade root interface — particularly loose or failing bushings — are emerging as a critical reliability concern. This workshop explores a validated onsite blade root repair process and goes further by identifying design lessons that could inform next-generation blade root concepts.

• Root Cause and Onsite Repair Methodology

Failure Diagnostics:

• Systematic Root Cause Analysis: ultrasonic NDT, strength testing, damage patterns
• Common failure modes in root bushings across turbine generations

Validated Repair Approach:

• Application of the Re-FIT bushing and patented Front Infusion Technology (FIT)
• Material interface behavior and bonding strategies

• Design Considerations for Future Blade Roots

Re-thinking the Blade Root Interface:

• Implications of recurring bushing failures for root geometry, materials, and joining concepts
• Opportunities for modular, maintainable, or replaceable root sections
• Designing for maintainability: How to build repairability into future blades

Material & Manufacturing Strategies:

• Lessons from FIT for potential OEM integration in serial blade manufacturing
• Hybrid bonding techniques and localized reinforcement zones

Certification & Testing Needs

• In-situ consolidation & automated fiber placement (AFP)

• Mechanical property evolution under cyclic loading

• Welding vs. adhesive bonding for thermoplastics

• Nano-modified resins for impact resistance

• Trade-offs between Tg, cure kinetics & blade cycle time

• Effect of resin shrinkage on delamination behavior

• Laser shearography & ultrasound phased array for defect detection

• AI-driven predictive failure modeling

• Integration of real-time process monitoring with SCADA

• Adaptive robotic placement for complex geometries

• Tolerance management in automated infusion processes

• Process optimization through digital twin-based simulation

• Polyurethane vs. fluoropolymer coatings: Performance & durability

• Plasma deposition & nanocomposite barriers for impact protection

• Accelerated aging & field testing: Correlation to real-world conditions

• Structural design & optimization using aerospace-derived methods

• Segmentation strategies enabled by steel’s weldability and joining techniques

• Lifecycle sustainability: recyclability and environmental impact assessment

• Mass and load comparisons vs. conventional composite blades

• Progress on prototyping & validation

• Structural performance of LVL under high fatigue and dynamic loads

• 100% biodegradable blade concept: Design & material characteristics

• Lifecycle analysis: CO₂ footprint & end-of-life benefits

• Smart manufacturing for scalable, platform-compatible blade production

• Coating solutions for durability and environmental resistance

• Converting blade waste into reusable polymer materials
• Creating value from decommissioned rotor blade components
• Technical challenges in separating and processing composite waste
• Toward a closed-loop lifecycle for wind turbine materials
• Reducing environmental footprint through repurposing innovation

End of conference