Sustainable Lifecycle Management: From Wind Turbine Blades to Modern Playground Complexes

Introduction. In modern conditions of the construction industry development, the concept of the life cycle of construction facilities encompasses not only the design and operation stages, but also the disposal of structural elements, particularly the components of wind turbines (hereinafter referred to as WT) with a service life of 20–25 years. Conventional methods of disposal of used elements of wind turbines display a low environmental efficiency. In the context of the circular economy, innovative solutions for integrating used WT components into construction practice are to be developed.

The aim of the study was to scientifically substantiate a possibility of using recycled wind turbine blades in the construction of children's playground complexes.

Materials and Methods. The study is based on a methodology for analyzing the life cycle of wind turbine blades, taking the specific features of their processing in the construction industry into consideration. The following methods were employed: a systematic analysis of the characteristics of wind turbine blades, a statistical assessment of their life cycle, a comparative analysis of recycling technologies and an assessment of the safety of structures made from recycled materials.

Research Results. As a result of the analysis and research conducted, a technology for processing blades into structural elements of a children's playground complex has been developed.

Discussion and Conclusion. The results confirm the fundamental possibility and practical expediency of employing recycled wind turbine blades as construction facilities in order to design safe and durable children's playground complexes. The developed technological solutions that take into consideration the full life cycle of materials – from operation as part of wind turbines to secondary use in building structures – enable transformation of the environmental problem of recycling into a resource for urban infrastructure development.

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