Closed-loop updating of wind turbine models using blade pitch excitation

Structural monitoring of wind turbines often involves the use of a numerical model, which must be regularly updated to yield an adequate representation of the governing dynamics. The model updating can be cast as an inverse problem, in which selected model parameters are estimated by minimizing the discrepancy between experimental target poles and model-predicted ones. An issue that may prevail in this setting is that the problem will be ill-posed, because the number of model parameters to be updated exceeds the number of target poles. The noted issue can be remedied by a virtual implementation of output feedback, which allows for computation of multiple closed-loop (CL) eigenstructures through non-linear transformations of the open-loop transfer matrix. The present paper offers an application study, in which virtual output feedback is used for updating numerical wind turbine models based on CL system poles. In particular, we explore the feasibility of employing the excitation stemming from the blade pitch control system as the input in the open-loop input-output realization required in the virtual output feedback. The methodological concept is outlined, and subsequently the applicability of the procedure is tested numerically in the context of simulations with a finite element model of a parked wind turbine. The preliminary findings suggest that procedures for customizing the pitch excitation to yield sufficient system excitation are required for the CL model updating to be feasible.