{"id":126768,"date":"2022-10-05T14:05:29","date_gmt":"2022-10-05T12:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eurecat.org\/?post_type=avada_portfolio&p=126768"},"modified":"2026-02-17T13:54:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:54:21","slug":"helix","status":"publish","type":"avada_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/eurecat.org\/en\/portfolio-items\/helix\/","title":{"rendered":"HELIX"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Development and testing of fasteners able to withstand high applied stresses under harsh environmental conditions typical of large offshore wind turbines.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The HELIX<\/strong> project provided lower cost<\/strong> (up to 20% reduction), high corrosion resistant<\/strong> (a minimum of 25 service years), high strength steel<\/strong> (10.9 and 12.9 grades) and high diameter<\/strong> (\u2265 M64) fasteners to the offshore wind industry<\/strong> to support the ever-increasing size of wind turbines, leading to higher productivity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

HELIX used advanced characterisation and traditional techniques under both atmospheric and immersion conditions to advance in the knowledge of hydrogen absorption in high strength steels under cathodic protection and in atmospheric conditions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This knowledge not only allowed tailoring the steel and coating microstructure to achieve both excellent corrosion protection ability<\/strong> and low risk of hydrogen embrittlement<\/strong>, but also influence on policy and practice in the offshore wind sector<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

HELIX identified the mechanisms of hydrogen absorption\/desorption of the optimised steels<\/strong>, as well as develop coatings based on zinc flakes<\/strong> and different topcoat materials to protect the steel and to reduce hydrogen entry in service.<\/p>\n

Eurecat coordinated the HELIX project through its Metallic and Ceramic Materials Unit<\/a>, which is responsible for the study of the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement of bare steels under immersed and atmospheric corrosion conditions.<\/p>\n

The consortium of this project is formed by 6 partners from 4 different European countries: Eurecat<\/a> (coordinator), SIDENOR<\/a> (Spain), Institut de la Corrosion<\/a> (France), PEINER Umformtechnik<\/a>, D\u00f6rken<\/a> (Germany) and the University of Chemistry and Technology of Prague<\/a> (Czech Republic).<\/p>\n<\/div>