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Wind turbine blade life prediction is the most important parameter to estimate the power generation cost. Due to the price and importance of wind blade, many experimental and theoretical methods were developed to estimate damages and blade life. A novel multiaxial fatigue damage model is suggested for the life prediction of a wind turbine blade. Fatigue reduction of fiber and interfiber characteristics are separately treated and simulated in this research. Damage behavior is considered in lamina level and then extended to laminate; hence, this model can be used for multidirectional laminated composites. The procedure of fatigue-induced degradation is implemented in an ABAQUS user material subroutine. By applying the fatigue damage model, life is estimated by the satisfaction of lamina fracture criteria. This model provides a comprehensive idea about how damage happens in wind blades regarding a multi-axis fatigue loading condition.

To determine the maximum velocity of a rotating hollow shaft it is mandatory to understand the effects of material & geometrical properties variations. In this paper, mechanical behavior & maximum rotational speed of a hollow FGM shaft in elastic zone is investigated. The analysis is based on small deformation in plane-strain state. Young's modulus, density & yield stress are assumed to vary as a power-law function of radial coordinate. Introducing dimensionless parameters, the equilibrium equation has been analytically solved. For the case of equal exponent parameters, numerical results compared the effect of density & yield stress variation on displacement, strain & stress elements. The results are compared with a homogeneous shaft & a variable material properties case. It shows material properties’ variation may have a considerable effect on the stress & strain components & radial displacement & causes yielding onset from the inner radius of the shaft.

Functionally graded material shafts are the main part of many modern rotary machines such as turbines and electric motors. The purpose of this study is to present an analytical solution of the elastic-plastic deformation of functionally graded material hollow rotor under a high centrifugal effect and finally determine the maximum allowed angular velocity of a hollow functionally graded material rotating shaft. Introducing non-dimensional parameters, the equilibrium equation has been analytically solved. The results for variable material properties are compared with the homogeneous rotor and the case in which Young’s modulus is the only variable while density and yield stress are considered to be constant. It is shown that material variation has a considerable effect on the stress and strain components and radial displacement. Considering variable density and yield stress causes yielding onset from inner, outer, or simultaneously from both inner and outer rotor shaft radius in contrast to earlier researches that modulus of elasticity was the only variable. The effects of the density on the failure of a functionally graded material elastic fully plastic in a hollow rotating shaft are investigated for the first time in this study with regard to Tresca’s yield criterial. Numerical simulations are used to verify the derived formulations which are in satisfying agreement.