David Bretos
PhD
Stall Flutter: Experimental Unsteady Aeroelastic Dynamics and Load Behavior of an Airfoil
​
Host Organisation
​LHEEA Laboratory, École Centrale Nantes, CNRS
​​
​
Project Description
Modern wind turbine blades have rapidly increased in size, becoming more flexible and susceptible to unsteady aeroelastic phenomena—complex interactions between aerodynamic forces, structural elasticity, and inertia. These effects can increase fatigue, reduce lifetime, or even threaten turbine integrity. Modeling these couplings is challenging due to their nonlinear and dynamic nature, and current industrial models may not fully capture them. This project experimentally studies aeroelastic dynamics driven by unsteady aerodynamics in a wind tunnel at blade-section scale, aiming to improve understanding and support the development of more reliable models for designing stable and efficient blades.
Supervisors
Main supervisor: Dr. Caroline Braud
Background
I am a Spanish researcher from Pamplona with a background in Industrial Engineering, specializing in the mechanical field. I gained professional experience in wind energy at the wind energy department of a research center and am currently a CNRS researcher at the LHEEA Laboratory of École Centrale de Nantes, focusing on aerodynamics and aeroelasticity. Beyond research, I maintain broad interests in science and technology, and enjoy sports and social activities that provide balance outside of work.
Motivation
I am motivated to pursue a PhD to deepen my expertise in aerodynamics and aeroelasticity, particularly in wind energy. This program provides the opportunity to combine experimental and numerical approaches to study unsteady aerodynamic loads, bridging fundamental understanding and practical industrial applications. I aim to contribute to solutions in the wind energy domain while developing independence and collaborative research skills in an international environment.