Offshore multi-membered structures, such as wind turbine support systems, frequently use Circular Hollow Sections (CHS). These structures face loading scenarios from wind, waves, and tides, resulting in axial forces and bending moments in the connections. Traditional welding methods introduce stress concentrations in the material, necessitating the consideration of Stress Concentration Factors (SCF) in fatigue design and the incorporation of stubs and cans to enhance fatigue life. An innovative alternative, as proposed by TU Delft, involves the use of non-welded Wrapped Composite joints. These joints rely on the interfacial bonding between the composite wrap and the hollow section members to transfer loads. This paper presents a comparative analysis of fatigue performance between experimentally tested wrapped composite joints and the fatigue lifetime prediction of their welded counterparts, addressing combined load conditions. At full-scale and 1/4th of full-scale. The study uses a Hexapod testing machine to evaluate various load scenarios on 1/4th of full-scale, including out-of-plane bending, and combinations of axial tension with bending. Full-scale wrapped composite joint in out-of-plane bending is tested in Cronos at OCAS N.V. Belgium. Results reveal exceptional fatigue resistance of wrapped joints to combined loading when compared to welded joints, showcasing their potential for offshore applications.
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Koetsier et al. (2024) studied this question.
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