An enhanced analytical calculation model based on sectional calculation using a 3D contour map of aerodynamic damping for vortex induced vibrations of wind turbine towers

To model the aeroelasticity in vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) of slender tubular towers, this paper presents an approach where the aerodynamic damping distribution along the height of the structure is calculated not only as a function of the normalized lateral oscillation but also considering the local incoming wind velocity ratio to the critical velocity (velocity ratio). The three-dimensionality of aerodynamic damping depending on the tower's displacement and the velocity ratio has been observed in recent studies. A contour map model of aerodynamic damping is generated based on the forced vibration tests. A sectional calculation procedure based on the spectral method is developed by defining the aerodynamic damping locally at each increment of height. The proposed contour map model of aerodynamic damping and the sectional calculation procedure are validated with full-scale measurement data sets of a rotorless wind turbine tower, where good agreement between the prediction and measured values is obtained. The prediction of cross-wind response of the wind turbine tower is performed over a range of wind speeds which allows the estimation of resulting fatigue damage. The proposed model gives more realistic prediction in comparison to the approach included in current standards.