Work

Rolling Contact Fatigue Behavior of Pitch Bearing Raceway in Offshore Wind Turbines

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: As critical components in offshore wind turbine (OWT) systems, pitch bearings require exceptional fatigue resistance to ensure the extended operational lifespan and structural reliability demanded by marine environments. Failure of these bearings due to rolling contact fatigue (RCF) can severely affect the economic efficiency of offshore wind turbines and potentially lead to safety accidents involving both humans and machinery. A simulation model for pitch bearings used in a 3 MW OWT is established to study the RCF behavior under operational conditions based on continuum damage mechanics. Both the elastic and plastic damage are considered in the damage process through a Python script. A user subroutine UMAT is programmed to depict the gradual deterioration of mechanical properties. The results indicate that the fatigue damage of the raceway exhibits significant nonlinear characteristics, with elastic damage playing a predominant role in determining its fatigue life under operational conditions.

Source: Materials

DOI: 10.3390/ma18081816

Authors: Haifeng He, Yiming Chen, Yang Liu, YongChao Zhu, Xin Jin

Institutions: Guizhou Normal University, Tsinghua University, Chongqing University, State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission

Language: English

Topic: Gear and Bearing Dynamics Analysis

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137