Sturdy Footbridges Made From Old Wind Turbines

CW News

Wind turbine blades that were once destined for landfills or incinerators are now being repurposed into sturdy footbridges capable of supporting the weight of a 30-tonne digger. In the UK alone, there are approximately 11,000 wind turbines, and estimates indicate that 450 blades will be decommissioned in Ireland by 2030, leading to a significant amount of non-recyclable waste.

To address this environmental challenge and prevent these blades from filling up landfills, a research network called ‘Re-Wind,’ led by Queen’s University Belfast, was established. This transatlantic initiative brings together geography experts, design architects, and engineers to explore innovative ways of reusing the turbine blades. Remarkably, the team has discovered that by utilizing just two turbine blades, they can construct a functional bridge.

The team has successfully built two footbridges in Ireland using this method: a 21-foot (7-meter) bridge in Draperstown, Northern Ireland, and a 15-foot (5-meter) bridge in Cork, Republic of Ireland. These bridges, aptly named ‘BladeBridges,’ underwent rigorous testing in May and passed with flying colors. A third bridge is currently in progress in Atlanta, Georgia.

Wind farm development has rapidly expanded worldwide over the last three decades, creating a pressing environmental issue. The turbine blades, made of non-biodegradable materials, have a lifespan of only 20-25 years. After reaching the end of their operational life, they are traditionally disposed of in landfills or incinerated.


In addition to building footbridges, the researchers are exploring other creative applications for these blades, including constructing bus shelters, barriers, street furniture, and telecommunications towers. This innovative approach not only addresses the challenge of turbine blade waste but also transforms these materials into valuable infrastructure, reducing the environmental impact of wind energy development.

“It has been incredibly exciting and rewarding to work on this project,” said Prof. Marois Soutos from Queen’s University. “As researchers, we like to push things as far as we possibly can in order to come up with the best solution available. In this instance, we’ve been able to create a footbridge from two wind turbine blades which is able to hold 30 tons—that’s the weight of a digger.”

“This could have a very positive impact for society going forward as we are only going to have more of these blades becoming decommissioned as the years go on.”

Computer-aided modeling was employed in the structural design of the Draperstown bridge. However, researchers expressed concerns about the possibility of bolts tearing under added weight. To assess its capacity, the bridge was loaded with 34 blocks, each weighing 1,100kg. Surprisingly, the results were highly positive, revealing that the bridge could bear significantly more weight than initially anticipated.

“We designed the bridge to avoid failures and during testing there was no tearing, no failure at all,” said Kenny McDonald. He is a Technical Manager in the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University. “We kept loading these concrete blocks and we could not get the bridge to fail.”


“We’re continuing to work with the Network and our colleagues in the USA on the bridge in Atlanta. After this, we would like to see if more blades can be added to make it longer. We’d like to join two together and increase the length. We’re hoping to secure further funding to do this,” he added.

University College Cork and Munster Technological University are integral components of the Network. They have diverged from the original Re-Wind research project and created a spinoff named BladeBridge. Their focus has shifted towards exploring diverse applications for these blades.

“We are partnering with well-known designers here in Ireland to create a portfolio of durable and sustainable products, such as greenway furniture and bridges,” said BladeBridge co-founder Dr. Angie Nagle. “Our first customer was Mayo County Council, who recently installed a suite of our furniture on the greenway extension in Achill.”

The bridge in Cork was completed in January 2022 and funded under the Irish Department of Transport’s Project Ireland 2040 initiative. The Cork bridge, finalized in January 2022, received funding through the Irish Department of Transport’s Project Ireland 2040 program.

Considering their 20-year lifespan, approximately 8.6 million metric tons of decommissioned wind turbine blades will exist globally by 2042. Discovering innovative solutions is imperative to prevent these blades from ending up in landfills. The endeavor is worthwhile given that most blades are crafted from fiberglass, a costly material to procure and mold.

 

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