Main Article Content
Abstract
Wind turbine blade optimization requires coordinated improvement of aerodynamic efficiency, structural reliability, fatigue life, manufacturability, and computational cost. This systematic literature review synthesizes studies on wind turbine blade design optimization using computational fluid dynamics and structural or aeroelastic analysis, with attention to design variables, modeling approaches, coupling strategies, optimization methods, validation practices, and limitations. The review protocol was registered with the OSF Registries under DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/VAR9T. Following a PRISMA-guided process, 233 records were identified from Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar, and manual reference checks. After removing 25 duplicates, 208 records were screened, 34 full texts were assessed, and 14 studies were included for qualitative synthesis. The literature clustered into three streams: CFD-based aerodynamic shape optimization, especially airfoil, blade-tip, chord, twist, and sweep refinement; aeroelastic or multidisciplinary optimization balancing annual energy production with loads, fatigue, and control constraints; and structural or composite optimization addressing mass, stiffness, stress, deflection, buckling, laminate design, and manufacturability. Many studies used hybrid workflows combining selective high-fidelity CFD with reduced-order, beam, cross-sectional, or surrogate models. Integrated aero-structural optimization appears most practical, but comparisons remain limited by inconsistent load cases, incomplete validation, limited reporting of uncertainty, and insufficient treatment of manufacturability.
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References
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- E. M. Papoutsis-Kiachagias, M. E. Farhikhteh, T. Skamagkis, and K. C. Giannakoglou, “Aerodynamic shape optimization of the MEXICO wind turbine blade using the continuous adjoint method,” 2021.
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- S. M. Hermansen and E. Lund, “Multi-material and thickness optimization of a wind turbine blade root section,” Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, vol. 67, no. 7, p. 107, 2024.
- P. Xue, Y. Wan, J. Takahashi, and H. Akimoto, “Structural optimization using a genetic algorithm aiming for the minimum mass of vertical axis wind turbines using composite materials,” Heliyon, vol. 10, no. 12, 2024.
- Q. Wang, M. A. Sprague, J. Jonkman, N. Johnson, and B. Jonkman, “BeamDyn: A high-fidelity wind turbine blade solver in the FAST modular framework,” Wind Energy, vol. 20, no. 8, pp. 1439–1462, 2017.
- R. Feil, T. Pflumm, P. Bortolotti, and M. Morandini, “A cross-sectional aeroelastic analysis and structural optimization tool for slender composite structures,” Composite Structures, vol. 253, p. 112755, 2020.
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- S. Batay, A. Baidullayeva, E. Sarsenov, Y. Zhao, T. Zhou, E. Y. K. Ng, and T. Kadylulu, “Integrated aerodynamic shape and aero-structural optimization: Applications from Ahmed body to Naca 0012 airfoil and wind turbine blades,” Fluids, vol. 9, no. 8, p. 170, 2024
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References
L. Vorspel, B. Stoevesandt, and J. Peinke, “Optimize rotating wind energy rotor blades using the adjoint approach,” Applied Sciences, vol. 8, no. 7, p. 1112, 2018.
E. M. Papoutsis-Kiachagias, M. E. Farhikhteh, T. Skamagkis, and K. C. Giannakoglou, “Aerodynamic shape optimization of the MEXICO wind turbine blade using the continuous adjoint method,” 2021.
J. Jasa, A. Glaws, P. Bortolotti, G. Vijayakumar, and G. Barter, “Wind turbine blade design with airfoil shape control using invertible neural networks,” in Journal of Physics: Conference Series, vol. 2265, no. 4, p. 042052, May 2022.
J. Song, J. Chen, Y. Wu, and L. Li, “Topology optimization-driven design for offshore composite wind turbine blades,” Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, vol. 10, no. 10, p. 1487, 2022.
S. M. Hermansen and E. Lund, “Multi-material and thickness optimization of a wind turbine blade root section,” Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, vol. 67, no. 7, p. 107, 2024.
P. Xue, Y. Wan, J. Takahashi, and H. Akimoto, “Structural optimization using a genetic algorithm aiming for the minimum mass of vertical axis wind turbines using composite materials,” Heliyon, vol. 10, no. 12, 2024.
Q. Wang, M. A. Sprague, J. Jonkman, N. Johnson, and B. Jonkman, “BeamDyn: A high-fidelity wind turbine blade solver in the FAST modular framework,” Wind Energy, vol. 20, no. 8, pp. 1439–1462, 2017.
R. Feil, T. Pflumm, P. Bortolotti, and M. Morandini, “A cross-sectional aeroelastic analysis and structural optimization tool for slender composite structures,” Composite Structures, vol. 253, p. 112755, 2020.
N. J. Abbas, P. Bortolotti, C. Kelley, J. Paquette, L. Pao, and N. Johnson, “Aero-servo-elastic co-optimization of large wind turbine blades with distributed aerodynamic control devices,” Wind Energy, vol. 26, no. 8, pp. 763–785, 2023.
P. Bortolotti, N. Johnson, N. J. Abbas, E. Anderson, E. Camarena, and J. Paquette, “Land-based wind turbines with flexible rail-transportable blades–Part 1: Conceptual design and aeroservoelastic performance,” Wind Energy Science, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 1277–1290, 2021.
R. Behrens de Luna, F. Papi, D. Marten, and C. O. Paschereit, “Analyzing the impact of aeroelastic model fidelity on control-co design optimization of floating offshore wind turbines,” Wind Energy Science Discussions, pp. 1–33, 2025.
Z. Toor, H. M. Bahaidarah, M. E. Zayed, S. Rehman, V. Khanna, and S. M. Shalaby, “Experimental investigation and CFD modeling on rooftop vertical axis wind turbine for sustainable residential buildings: Development of core design optimization and advanced performance analysis,” Energy and Buildings, p. 116901, 2025.
M. H. A. Madsen, F. Zahle, S. G. Horcas, T. K. Barlas, and N. N. Sørensen, “CFD-based curved tip shape design for wind turbine blades,” Wind Energy Science, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 1471–1501, 2022.
M. K. McWilliam, T. K. Barlas, H. A. Madsen, and F. Zahle, “Aero-elastic wind turbine design with active flaps for AEP maximization,” Wind Energy Science, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 231–241, 2018.
E. Werthen, D. Hardt, C. Balzani, and C. Hühne, “Comparison of different cross-sectional approaches for the structural design and optimization of composite wind turbine blades based on beam models,” Wind Energy Science, vol. 9, no. 7, pp. 1465–1481, 2024.
M. Mangano, S. He, Y. Liao, D. G. Caprace, A. Ning, and J. R. Martins, “Aeroelastic tailoring of wind turbine rotors using high-fidelity multidisciplinary design optimization,” Wind Energy Science Discussions, pp. 1–33, 2023.
E. Werthen, G. Nunes Ribeiro, S. Dähne, D. Zerbst, L. Tönnjes, and C. Hühne, “A multi-parametric composite approach for the optimization of wind turbine blades using double-double laminates,” Wind Energy Science Discussions, pp. 1–37, 2025.
M. H. A. Madsen, “High-fidelity CFD-based shape optimization of wind turbine blades,” 2020. DTU Wind Energy. https://doi.org/10.11581/dtu:00000068
B. Anderson, P. Bortolotti, and N. Johnson, “Development of an open-source segmented blade design tool,” in Journal of Physics: Conference Series, vol. 2265, no. 3, p. 032023, May 2022.
A. Sharma et al., “ExaWind: Open-source CFD for hybrid-RANS/LES geometry-resolved wind turbine simulations in atmospheric flows,” Wind Energy, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 225–257, 2024.
A. K. Barlas, C. Tibaldi, F. Zahle, and H. A. Madsen, “Aeroelastic optimization of a 10 MW wind turbine blade with active trailing edge flaps,” in Proc. 34th Wind Energy Symposium, p. 1262, 2016
P. Zouboulis, E. P. Koumoulos, and A. Karatza, “Wind Turbine Blade-Tip Optimization: A Systemic Computational Approach,” Processes, vol. 11, no. 4, p. 1170, 2023
Y. Song and J. B. Perot, “Cfd simulation of the nrel phase vi rotor,” Wind Engineering, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 299–309, 2015
C. Pavese, T. Kim, Q. Wang, J. Jonkman, and M. A. Sprague, “HAWC2 and BeamDyn: Comparison between beam structural models for aero-servo-elastic frameworks,” NREL, Golden, CO, USA, Rep. NREL/CP-5000-65115, 2016
S. Batay, A. Baidullayeva, E. Sarsenov, Y. Zhao, T. Zhou, E. Y. K. Ng, and T. Kadylulu, “Integrated aerodynamic shape and aero-structural optimization: Applications from Ahmed body to Naca 0012 airfoil and wind turbine blades,” Fluids, vol. 9, no. 8, p. 170, 2024
M. N. A. Khan and M. Tüfekci, “Structural Topology Optimisation of a Composite Wind Turbine Blade Under Various Constraints,” Wind, vol. 5, no. 4, p. 23, 2025
F. He, X. Zheng, W. Luo, J. Zhong, Y. Huang, A. Ye, et al., “Collaborative optimization of aerodynamics and wind turbine blades,” Applied Sciences, vol. 15, no. 2, p. 834, 2025