Articles | Volume 5, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-5-1743-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-5-1743-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Fatigue lifetime calculation of wind turbine blade bearings considering blade-dependent load distribution
Oliver Menck
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Fraunhofer IWES, 21029 Hamburg, Germany
Matthias Stammler
Fraunhofer IWES, 21029 Hamburg, Germany
Florian Schleich
Fraunhofer IWES, 21029 Hamburg, Germany
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Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Estimation of Damage Equivalent Loads of Drivetrain of Wind Turbines using Machine Learning O. Kamel et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2265/3/032075
- Rolling contact fatigue tests on pre-damaged slewing bearings K. Behnke & O. Menck https://doi.org/10.1177/13506501251385051
- Effect of stick and slip zones on fatigue life of a slewing ball bearing D. Pathuvoth & A. Sekhar https://doi.org/10.1177/09544062241275381
- Comparative analysis of rolling contact fatigue life in a wind turbine pitch bearing with different modeling approaches A. Rezaei et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2767/5/052036
- Failure Mechanisms of Main Bearings in Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines: A Comparative Review M. Jalilvand et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/en19051321
- Rolling contact fatigue calculation of a three-row roller pitch bearing in a wind turbine O. Menck et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-2771-2025
- Wind turbine blade root and blade bearing fatigue damage estimation based on field data J. Gebel et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10010-025-00789-z
- Research on the Analysis Method of the Life Modification Factor for Grease-Lubricated Wind Turbine Pitch Bearings Q. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants14030108
- Wear in wind turbine pitch bearings—A comparative design study F. Schwack et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/we.2693
- The Finite Segment Method—A Numerical Rolling Contact Fatigue Life Model for Bearings Subjected to Stochastic Operating Conditions O. Menck https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4055916
- Semi-analytical methodology for fretting wear evaluation of unlubricated pitch bearing raceways under operative and non-operative periods D. Cubillas et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-401-2025
- Superelement-based acceleration of finite-element simulations of wind turbine rotors F. Schleich et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2767/5/052029
- Probability assessment of static overload in wind turbine blade bearings considering turbulence, design, and manufacturing variability A. Rezaei & A. Nejad https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-2947-2025
- Effect of wind speed distribution and site assessment on pitch bearing loads and life A. Rezaei & A. Nejad https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2507/1/012021
- Load case selection for finite-element simulations of wind turbine pitch bearings and hubs M. Stammler & F. Schleich https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-813-2025
- Large-Scale Wind Turbine’s Load Characteristics Excited by the Wind and Grid in Complex Terrain: A Review W. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142417051
- Measurements and modeling of friction torque of wind turbine blade bearings O. Menck et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2265/2/022087
- Review of rolling contact fatigue life calculation for oscillating bearings and application-dependent recommendations for use O. Menck & M. Stammler https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-9-777-2024
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Estimation of Damage Equivalent Loads of Drivetrain of Wind Turbines using Machine Learning O. Kamel et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2265/3/032075
- Rolling contact fatigue tests on pre-damaged slewing bearings K. Behnke & O. Menck https://doi.org/10.1177/13506501251385051
- Effect of stick and slip zones on fatigue life of a slewing ball bearing D. Pathuvoth & A. Sekhar https://doi.org/10.1177/09544062241275381
- Comparative analysis of rolling contact fatigue life in a wind turbine pitch bearing with different modeling approaches A. Rezaei et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2767/5/052036
- Failure Mechanisms of Main Bearings in Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines: A Comparative Review M. Jalilvand et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/en19051321
- Rolling contact fatigue calculation of a three-row roller pitch bearing in a wind turbine O. Menck et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-2771-2025
- Wind turbine blade root and blade bearing fatigue damage estimation based on field data J. Gebel et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10010-025-00789-z
- Research on the Analysis Method of the Life Modification Factor for Grease-Lubricated Wind Turbine Pitch Bearings Q. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants14030108
- Wear in wind turbine pitch bearings—A comparative design study F. Schwack et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/we.2693
- The Finite Segment Method—A Numerical Rolling Contact Fatigue Life Model for Bearings Subjected to Stochastic Operating Conditions O. Menck https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4055916
- Semi-analytical methodology for fretting wear evaluation of unlubricated pitch bearing raceways under operative and non-operative periods D. Cubillas et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-401-2025
- Superelement-based acceleration of finite-element simulations of wind turbine rotors F. Schleich et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2767/5/052029
- Probability assessment of static overload in wind turbine blade bearings considering turbulence, design, and manufacturing variability A. Rezaei & A. Nejad https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-2947-2025
- Effect of wind speed distribution and site assessment on pitch bearing loads and life A. Rezaei & A. Nejad https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2507/1/012021
- Load case selection for finite-element simulations of wind turbine pitch bearings and hubs M. Stammler & F. Schleich https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-813-2025
- Large-Scale Wind Turbine’s Load Characteristics Excited by the Wind and Grid in Complex Terrain: A Review W. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142417051
- Measurements and modeling of friction torque of wind turbine blade bearings O. Menck et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2265/2/022087
- Review of rolling contact fatigue life calculation for oscillating bearings and application-dependent recommendations for use O. Menck & M. Stammler https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-9-777-2024
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 11 Jun 2026
Short summary
Blade bearings of wind turbines experience unusual loads compared to bearings in other industrial applications, which adds some difficulty to the application of otherwise well-established calculation methods, like fatigue lifetime. As a result, different methods for such calculations can be found in the literature. This paper compares three approaches of varying complexity and comes to the conclusion that the simplest of the methods is very inaccurate compared to the more complex methods.
Blade bearings of wind turbines experience unusual loads compared to bearings in other...
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