Innovative welding filler metals extend the service life of offshore wind turbine towers

Offshore wind turbines consist of numerous welded components and are exposed to extreme loads from wind and waves at sea. These lead to cyclic stresses that particularly affect the weld seams. Until now, these have been considered a critical factor, especially for high-strength steels, since the welding process itself alters the material microstructure and generates harmful tensile residual stresses. For safety reasons, relevant regulations have so far only allowed the lightweight construction potential of these steels to be exploited to a limited extent.