Measurement and Regulation of Residual Stress in Door Opening Welds of Wind Turbine Towers

2026-99-0197

To be published on 07/31/2026

Authors
Abstract
Content
Weld residual stress is a critical factor affecting the structural integrity and service life of wind turbine towers. In this study, a systematic investigation was conducted on the residual stress distribution and control methods for door corner welds of an in-service wind turbine tower after approximately 20,000 hours of operation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements revealed significant tensile residual stress in the weld and heat-affected zone, with peak values reaching 315 MPa, particularly concentrated at depths of 5-7 mm. To mitigate these stresses, two post-weld treatment methods were employed: ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) and localized heat treatment. UIT effectively transformed surface tensile stress into compressive stress, achieving a maximum compressive residual stress of -372 MPa within a depth of 3 mm, while simultaneously refining grains and increasing surface hardness. In contrast, localized heat treatment at 460 °C for 5 hours led to a broader stress relief effect, reducing residual stress by approximately 100 MPa without causing significant changes to the macrostructure, but inducing substructural rearrangements beneficial for stress relaxation. Mechanical testing confirmed that both treatments improved tensile strength, ductility, and toughness of the welds. The combined findings demonstrate that ultrasonic impact treatment is highly effective for enhancing fatigue performance at the surface, while localized heat treatment offers advantages for deep stress redistribution and long-term structural stability. This comprehensive approach provides valuable technical guidance for residual stress management in complex welded structures of wind turbine towers.
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Citation
Sun, W., Zhong, Z., Zhang, B., and Liu, H., "Measurement and Regulation of Residual Stress in Door Opening Welds of Wind Turbine Towers," The 10th International Conference on Mechanical Manufacturing Technology and Material Engineering (MMTME 2025), Shenyang, China, September 19, 2025, .
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
To be published on Jul 31, 2026
Product Code
2026-99-0197
Content Type
Technical Paper
Language
English