Personal profile
Research interests
- Structural mechanics and finite element simulation
- Finite element formulations
- Geometrical and material nonlinearities
- Damage modeling in fiber composites
- Damage modeling in structural adhesive joints
- Buckling and post-buckling of thin-walled structures
- Dynamic response of wind turbines
- Design methods for wind turbine rotor blades
Teaching
- Computer-Aided Design of Wind Farms with WindPRO
- Design and Installation of Wind Farms
- Rotor Blade Design for Wind Turbines
- Wind Energy Technology I
- Wind Energy Technology II
- Supervision of student projects, Bachelor and Master Theses
Academic career and education
- 01/2009: PhD at the Institute for Structural Analysis, University of Karlsruhe (TH), Title of the PhD Thesis: Finite Element Modeling of Intra- and Interlaminar Damage Growth in Composite Laminates
- 1997-2003: Studies of Civil Engineering, Specialisation: Higher mechanics and construction engineering, degree: Dipl.-Ing., Title of the Diploma Thesis: A simple finite anisotropic viscoelastic model with applications to soft tissues
- 1996: Abitur, Gymnasium in den Filder Benden in Moers, Germany
Professional career
- since 07/2011: Scientific staff / lecturer at the Institute for Wind Energy Systems, Leibniz University Hannover
- 2011: Scientific staff at the Institute for Structural Analysis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
- 2010-2011: Representative of the chair holder Mechanics-Statics in education and administration, Technical University of Dortmund
- 01/2009: PhD at the Institute for Structural Analysis, University of Karlsruhe (TH), Title of PhD Thesis: Finite Element Modeling of Intra- and Interlaminar Damage Growth in Composite Laminates
- 2004-2010: Scientific staff at the Institute for Structural Analysis, University of Karlsruhe (TH), since 10/2009 Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Keywords
- Wind Energy
- Wind Turbine
- Rotor Blade
- Fiber Composite
- Finite Element Method
- Simulation
- Structural Mechanics
- Digital Twin
- Modeling
- Damage Modeling
- Stability
- Buckling
- Material Modeling
- Artificial Intelligence
- Digitalization
- Renewable Energies
Research output
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Predicting multiaxial stiffness degradation using uniaxial data: A model based on non-proportional experiments on a structural adhesive
Kuhn, M., Eder, M. A., Krimmer, A. & Balzani, C., Jan 2026, In: International journal of fatigue. 202, 109240.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
Open Access -
Deciphering AI behaviors in microstructural material modeling of composites using diffusion models
Khan, A. W. & Balzani, C., 1 Oct 2025, 45th Risø International Symposium on Materials Science: Advancement in composites through characterisation, modelling and digitalisation 01/09/2025 - 04/09/2025 Copenhagen, Denmark. 11 p. 012012. (IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering; vol. 1338).Research output: Chapter in book/report/conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Research › peer review
Open Access -
From CT Imaging to 3D Representations: Digital Modelling of Fibre-Reinforced Adhesives with Image-Based FEM
Khan, A. W., Xu, K., Manousides, N. & Balzani, C., 3 Dec 2025, In: Adhesives. 1, 4, 21 p., 14.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
Open Access -
Non-proportionality analysis of multi-axial fatigue stress histories in trailing edge adhesive joints of wind turbine rotor blades
Balzani, C. & Noever Castelos, P., 7 Jul 2025, In: Wind Energy Science. 10, 7, p. 1249–1267 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
Open Access -
On the influence of cross-sectional deformations on the aerodynamic performance of wind turbine rotor blades
Gebauer, J. S., Prigge, F. K., Ahrens, D., Wein, L. & Balzani, C., 11 Apr 2025, In: Wind Energy Science. 10, 4, p. 679–694 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
Open Access
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ReliaBlade2: Verbundvorhaben: Entwicklung neuer Auslegungsmethoden für Rotorblätter; Teilvorhaben: Charakterisierung und Modellierung von Ermüdungsschädigung in Rotorblättern sowie Entwicklung eines probabilistischen digitalen Zwillings
Balzani, C. (Principal Investigator), Muyan, M. C. (Project staff), Rajjoub, B. (Project staff), Rolfes, R. (Principal Investigator) & Scheffler, S. S. (Co-Principal Investigator)
1 Jan 2025 → 31 Dec 2028
Project: Research
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Collaborative Research Centre 1463/2, sub-project B03: Sustainable design and design verification of ultra-slim rotor blades
Balzani, C. (Principal Investigator), Khan, A. W. (Project staff) & Hühne, C. (Principal Investigator)
1 Jan 2025 → 31 Dec 2028
Project: Research
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Add2ReliaBlade: Verbundvorhaben: Erweiterte Materialdaten und Computertomographie, virtuelle Prüfstände, Big Data und datenbasierte Modellierung als Ergänzung für ReliaBlade; Teilvorhaben: Materialversuche und Modellbildung für Verklebungen
Balzani, C. (Principal Investigator), Khan, A. W. (Project staff), Manousides, N. (Project staff), Rolfes, R. (Principal Investigator), Kuhn, M. (Project staff) & Hematipour, M. (Co-Investigator)
1 May 2021 → 30 Apr 2025
Project: Research
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Collaborative Research Centre 1463/1, sub-project B03: Design methods of ultra-slender rotor blades
Balzani, C. (Principal Investigator), Gebauer, J. S. (Project staff), Hühne, C. (Principal Investigator) & Werthen, E. (Project staff)
1 Jan 2021 → 31 Dec 2024
Project: Research
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QuexUS: Collaborative project: Quantifizierung der Unsicherheit bei der Prognose exzessiver Schwingungen in Windenergieanlagen; sub-project: Untersuchungen mit openFAST und HAWC2
Balzani, C. (Principal Investigator), Schramm, O. (Project staff) & Polman, J. D. (Project staff)
1 Dec 2019 → 30 Sept 2021
Project: Research
Datasets
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Supplement to: Validation of a modeling methodology for wind turbine rotor blades based on a full scale blade test
Noever, P. (Creator), Haller, B. (Creator) & Balzani, C. (Creator), Forschungsdaten-Repositorium der LUH, 2021
DOI: 10.25835/0048541, https://data.uni-hannover.de/dataset/fce20329-70b7-4315-9f8a-bd4eda1ff93d
Dataset
Equipment
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Hochleistungs-Röntgen-Nanotomograph
Lohaus, L. (Head)
Institute of Building Materials ScienceFacility/equipment: Major Research Instrumentation