ABSTRACT

Some of the first-installed wind turbines will have to be replaced soon, as they are

approaching the end of their life span. These wind-turbine blades must be recycled,

so their suitability to be added into concrete mixes as fibers is studied. Thus, a less-

polluting fiber-reinforced concrete can be achieved, maintaining its mechanical

behavior. To recycle numerous wind-turbine blades at an adequate rate, large

amounts of waste need to be added into concrete. This study aims to find out the

suitability of adding high amounts of this waste material (0% vol., 5% vol., and

10% vol.). Testing yielded a slight decrease in fresh density and a higher occluded

air content, yet largely maintaining its suitability for structural use according to the

compressive strength. The results showed that concrete with a high content of

crushed wind-turbine blade is suitable for structural use, being it an effective

solution to said current sustainability problems.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors acknowledge the funding of this research work to the Spanish Ministry

of Universities, MICINN, AEI, EU, FEDER and NextGenerationEU/PRTR

[PID2020-113837RB-I00; PID2021-124203OB-I00; 10.13039/501100011033;

TED2021-129715B-I00; FPU21/04364]; the Junta de Castilla y León (Regional

Government) and FEDER [UIC-231; BU066-22]; the Basque Government

[IT1619-22 SAREN research group]; and, finally, the University of Burgos

[SUCONS, Y135.GI].