Wind turbine testing methods and application of hybrid testing: A review

This paper presents an overview of wind turbine research techniques including the recent application of hybrid testing. Wind turbines are complex structures as they are large, slender, and dynamic with many different operational states, which limits applicable research techniques. Traditionally, numerical simulation is widely used to study turbines while experimental tests are rarer and often face cost and equipment restrictions. Hybrid testing is a relatively new simulation method that combines numerical and experimental techniques to accurately capture unknown or complex behaviour by modelling portions of the structure experimentally while numerically simulating the remainder. This can allow for increased detail, scope, and feasibility in wind turbine tests. Hybrid testing appears to be an effective tool for future wind turbine research, and the few studies that have applied it have shown promising results. This paper presents a literature review of experimental and numerical wind turbine testing, hybrid testing in structural engineering, and hybrid testing of wind turbines. Finally, several applications of hybrid testing for future wind turbine studies are proposed including multi-hazard loading, damped turbines, and turbine failure.