A short overview of composite materials for wind turbine applications is presented here. Requirements toward the wind turbine materials, loads, as well as available materials are reviewed. Apart from the traditional composites for wind turbine blades (glass fibers/epoxy matrix composites), natural composites, hybrid and nanoengineered composites are discussed. Manufacturing technologies for wind turbine composites, as well their testing and modelling approaches are reviewed.

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A double cantilever beam specimen loaded with uneven bending moments (DCB-UBM) is proposed for mixed mode fracture mechanics characterisation of adhesive joints, laminates and multilayers. A linear elastic fracture mechanics analysis gives the energy release rate and mode mixity analytically for both isotropic and orthotropic materials. By varying the ratio between the two applied moments, the crack tip stress state can be varied from pure mode I to pure mode II for the same specimen geometry. The specimen allows stable crack growth. A special test fixture is developed to create uneven bending moments. As a preliminary example, the DCB-UBM specimen was used for characterising fracture of adhesive joints between two laminates of thermoset glass fibre reinforced plastic.

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