We encourage you to contact Senso Engineering Ltd. in the event of cracks being detected.

It is necessary to determine whether these identified cracks have a structural character or not. Therefore, it is necessary to project the cracks onto a sketch and create a “crack map “. To create such a ‘map’:

• First, at least 2 reference measurement points should be determined along the cracks.
• Cracks are measured via a crack ruler by hand.
• The measurement points are marked on the cracks and c measurements are provided from the same points in the future. (Figure 1)
• After all cracks are numbered and marked, the information obtained is be transferred to a scale drawing and other information are processed here. (Figure 2)

The post How To Monitor Cracks in Wind Turbine Foundations? first appeared on Senso Engineering Ltd..

In order to take structural preventive measures in foundation-to-tower joints, first of all, lost flexural rigidity must be detected. Sometimes, flexion in towers can be permanent. If this is the case, these situations must be added to calculations. The only way to transfer them to correct computer simulations is to measure the real situation in field with sensors. Then, necessary strengthening must be done in order to return rigidity. The most common difficulties in strengthening works are as follow:

• Swift implementation with minimum halt in turbines which are in operation
• Friction-based construction of systems in controlled construction processes since bodies of structures cannot be welded
• Determination of wind velocity limits by taking into consideration current age of turbines and remaining service/operation life

The post You May Need to Strengthen Your Wind Turbines! first appeared on Senso Engineering Ltd..

Most frequent structural problems in turbines across Turkey are related to foundations and/or foundation-to-tower joints. While most common problems in foundations are related to reinforced concrete construction, placement and order of reinforcement, proportions of reinforcement and concrete cure; in foundation-to-tower joints generally encounter such a problem as disassociation of foundation and tower from one another.

Inner and outer foundation controls essentially carry risks because these controls mostly done with bare eyes. Whereas, even microfractures may be a precursor of rather serious problems.

Problems in foundations and/or foundation-to-tower joints that are hard to diagnose may cause losses in production, safety vulnerabilities and secondary damages in structures.

In general risks-efficiency assessments, effects of a mechanism, which weighs hundreds of kilograms and continuously swirls at tens of meters height to generate electricity in ever-changing conditions, to a system that carries it, must be taken into consideration. The ever-repeating swirling movements, which exceed millions in its life time, expand the weakness in foundations in time.

There are various solutions to foundation-to-tower joints implemented in the past by various companies. Therefore, there is not one single solution to these problems. The method, which must be followed in turbine structures, which have stability and strength problems, reveal anomalies or make investors think they have structural problems, is to apply tests, which contain structural measurements as in the doctor-patient relationship. Then, complex dynamic behaviors may be clarified.

Problems in foundations and/or foundation-to-tower joints which are hard to comprehend and diagnose their severity cause decrease in performance, safety weaknesses and secondary damages in the structures. There are always advanced signals in detecting the structural damages which may cause production losses and if they are properly monitored, preventive maintenance may be done without decreasing the frequency of turbines and halting the production.

With our fundamental CHECK UP services, we diagnose the fractures in the foundations, make a report on them, if necessary, strengthen foundations and monitor them after our work.

The post Are Your Foundations Healthy Enough? first appeared on Senso Engineering Ltd..