Case studies
Wind Turbine Blade Repair Case Studies
BladeTex repairs wind turbine blades by rope access across Canada. These five case studies cover blade repair and leading edge protection work, each showing the damage found, how the repair was done and the result.
Case study 01 · Blade repair
Leading-edge crack repair
A 410 mm Class 4 crack near the blade tip, repaired up-tower by rope access.
Result
Crack repaired, edge restored
- Cure confirmed by hardness test
- Profile and top coat restored
- New LEP installed over the area
The job
| Damage | Leading-edge crack, Class 4 |
|---|---|
| Size | 410 mm × 5 mm |
| Location | Leading edge, 47.9 m from root |
| Repair | Backing plate and 3-ply laminate |
The record
| Crew | 3 rope access technicians |
|---|---|
| Photos on file | 25+ |
| Status | Reviewed and approved |
A 410 mm crack was found along the leading-edge bondline near the blade tip and rated Class 4: repair as soon as possible. BladeTex bonded in a backing plate, rebuilt the leading edge with three plies of glass and epoxy cured under vacuum and heat, confirmed the cure with a hardness test, then restored the profile with filler and top coat.
Case study 02 · Leading edge protection
Leading-edge protection reinstallation
PolyTech ELLE shells installed from 40 m to the tip by rope access.
Result
New ELLE shells, 40 m to tip
- Leading-edge profile restored first
- Photos, batches and serial numbers on file
The job
| Service | Leading-edge protection (LEP) |
|---|---|
| Area | Leading edge, 40 m to tip |
| Blade length | 49 m |
| LEP system | PolyTech ELLE shells |
The record
| Crew | 3 rope access technicians |
|---|---|
| Photos on file | 60+ |
| Status | Reviewed and approved |
Previously installed LEP shells on this blade had come loose. BladeTex removed the remaining original shell as a precaution, restored the leading-edge profile with filler and top coat, and installed new ELLE shells from 40 m to the tip.
Case study 03 · Blade repair
Trailing-edge crack repair
A 140 cm Class 4 crack near the root, rebuilt with three layers of laminate up-tower by rope access.
Result
Trailing edge rebuilt
- Cure confirmed by hardness check
- Filled, sanded and top-coated
- Photos, mix ratios and cure times on file
The job
| Damage | Trailing-edge crack, Class 4 |
|---|---|
| Size | 140 cm × 7 cm |
| Location | Trailing edge, 4 m from root |
| Repair | 3-ply fiberglass laminate |
The record
| Crew | 3 rope access technicians |
|---|---|
| Photos on file | 20+ |
| Status | Reviewed and approved |
A 140 cm crack was found along the trailing edge near the blade root and rated Class 4: repair as soon as possible. BladeTex removed the paint over a 55 × 164 cm area, laid up three fiberglass plies with weighed epoxy, cured the laminate under vacuum and a heat blanket, confirmed it with a hardness check, then filled, sanded and top-coated the area.
Case study 04 · Blade repair
Transverse crack and core repair
A Class 4 transverse crack with delamination and a cracked core, repaired up-tower by rope access.
Result
Core replaced, skin rebuilt
- Cure confirmed by hardness test (Shore D 84)
- Filled, sanded and top-coated
- Photos, batches and cure records on file
The job
| Damage | Transverse crack, Class 4 |
|---|---|
| Size | 630 mm × 50 mm |
| Location | Pressure side, 9.5 m from root |
| Repair | New core and triax laminate |
The record
| Crew | 3 rope access technicians |
|---|---|
| Photos on file | 30+ |
| Status | Reviewed and approved |
A 630 mm transverse crack was found on the pressure side, with delamination and a cracked core underneath, and rated Class 4: repair as soon as possible. BladeTex ground back the damaged laminate, cut out and replaced the core, rebuilt the skin with triax glass and epoxy cured under vacuum and heat, confirmed the cure with a hardness test, then filled and top-coated the area.
Case study 05 · Blade repair
Circular crack repair
A Class 4 crack over a poorly reinstated earlier repair by another contractor, rebuilt to the OEM procedure by rope access.
Result
Another contractor’s repair made right
- Weak earlier repair by another contractor cut out and replaced
- Rebuilt to the OEM repair procedure
- Photos, mix ratios and cure times on file
The job
| Damage | Circular crack, Class 4 |
|---|---|
| Size | About 14 × 15 cm |
| Location | Pressure side, 37.7 m from root |
| Repair | New core and biax laminate |
The record
| Crew | 3 rope access technicians |
|---|---|
| Photos on file | 15+ |
| Status | Reviewed and approved |
A circular crack about 14 × 15 cm was found on the pressure side and rated Class 4: repair as soon as possible. Removing the paint showed it sat over an earlier repair, carried out by another contractor before BladeTex was involved, with no glass laminate above the bonding paste. Following the OEM-provided procedure, BladeTex cut out the damage, bonded in a new core, rebuilt the skin with biax glass and epoxy cured under vacuum and heat, then filled, sanded and top-coated the area.
Quality
Certified, recorded and warrantied
Work is done within our DNV-certified ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 management system, with consideration of DNV-ST-0376. Every step is photographed and recorded, and repairs and leading-edge protection carry a 12-month workmanship warranty.
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