Wind Turbine Fault Classification Using Support

Vector Machines with Fuzzy Logic

Colton Seegmiller Blake Chamberlain Jordan Miller
Engineering Department Engineering Department Engineering Department
2022 Intermountain Engineering, Technology and Computing (IETC) | 978-1-6654-8653-8/22/$31.00 ©2022 IEEE | DOI: 10.1109/IETC54973.2022.9796919

Utah Valley University Utah Valley University Utah Valley University

Orem, UT, 84058, USA Orem, UT, 84058, USA Orem, UT, 84058, USA
10803013@uvu.edu 10737027@uvu.edu 10767354@uvu.edu

Mohammed A.S. Masoum Mohammad Shekaramiz

Engineering Department Engineering Department
Utah Valley University Utah Valley University
Orem, UT, 84058, USA Orem, UT 84058, USA
m.masoum@ieee.org mshekaramiz@uvu.edu

Abstract— Rapid and accurate identification of faults on wind
turbine blades is important to ensure the continued operation of
wind power generation systems. This paper explores the
implementation of Support Vector Machines (SVM) combined
with fuzzy logic for image recognition and fault classification of
wind turbine blades. We discuss the concept, ideas, and
implementation of SVM for image recognition, and the final result
is to implement these features into a system for detecting the
various cracks and damages on the blades of wind turbines using
a scale model. The final system will be tested on a scale model of a
wind turbine blade. We will focus on what SVM is, what the
crossover between SVM and fuzzy may look like, and how it will
effectively be able to detect cracks in the blades of wind turbines.
Keywords—Fuzzy, SVM, fault diagnosis, wind turbine blades
I. INTRODUCTION
In wind turbine systems, continual monitoring and
maintenance is necessary to ensure continued operation of the
system. Due to the harsh operating conditions experienced by
most wind turbines, it is common for faults and damage to be
incurred through normal operation [1]. Quick and accurate
identification of potential faults is important to ensure that no
lasting damage is caused to the wind turbine system, and
maintenance of a wind turbine system incurs significant costs
through the operational lifespan of the wind turbine [2].
Typically, faults are identified using sensor data such as
through a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
system [3]-[4]. Detecting anomalies through this data, such as
vibrations, can be useful for detecting faults on certain
components in wind turbines. However, when identifying faults
present on the wind turbine blades, manual visual inspections
are necessary. This is necessary because when a fault is present
on the wind turbine blades, the SCADA system data does not
show any anomalies as a result of the data [5]. Thus, the
imbalances and faults in the wind turbine system are difficult to
detect through sensor data, and alternate methods of identifying
the faults must be implemented.
The nature of faults present on wind turbine blades means
that they can be detected through visual inspection [6]. For
example, some common types of faults on wind turbine blades
include leading edge erosion, and cracks running along the
surface of the blades. When visually inspecting wind turbine
blades, these types of faults can be clearly identified. However,
it is not always feasible to perform manual visual inspections
on every wind turbine system during normal operation. Because
of this, maintenance must be scheduled on wind turbines, which
can be costly, hard to implement, and complex to schedule [7].
To solve this issue, it is beneficial to develop an
autonomous system which detects faults with minimal manual
intervention. Furthermore, an autonomous system minimizes
the labor involved in manually identifying faults in wind
turbine blades. This provides a more cost-effective maintenance
solution while still accurately identifying faults present.
In this paper, the autonomous detection of faults in machine
learning image recognition technology is used. The
implementation involved uses a Support Vector Machines
(SVM) algorithm to identify faults in images of wind turbine
blades. Additionally, fuzzy logic is used to classify faults.
Using fuzzy logic helps to make the classification after the
SVM algorithm more accurate. Instead of a binary
classification provided by an SVM algorithm, fuzzy logic
allows for more accurate classification of faults.
This paper is organized as follows. Section II presents an
overview of SVM algorithms and their applications in image
recognition. Section III is a description of fuzzy logic and how
it applies to classifying faults. Section IV discusses how the
SVM and fuzzy logic system will be developed and
implemented. The conclusion and summaries are presented in
Section V.
II. SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINES (SVM)
A. Modeling of SVM
SVMs are supervised learning models used in machine
learning that are primarily employed for classification but can
also be used for regression and outlier detection.
Applications of these models can be seen in face recognition
[8], text categorization [9], predicting protein-protein
interaction sites [10], image classification [11], and for fault

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 detection in various devices such as wind turbine blades
[12][13][14].
SVM models use training techniques to develop an
algorithm that ultimately classifies the data with more accuracy.
The goal of the SVM is to create a hyperplane that splits the
data into a processible output of different classes. The SVM
starts by finding points from each of the classes that are closest
to the hyperplane; these points are called support vectors. The
distance between these points and the hyperplane is called the
margin. This distance is calculated and maximized as much as
possible to obtain the optimal hyperplane.
Fig. 1 Optimal hyperplane of SVM [12]
In Fig. 1, there is a sample of circles and a sample of
triangles. H2 and H1 are the lines that cross through the support
vector points for each of the samples. The margin between these
lines is equal and they are parallel to H, which is the optimal
hyperplane that was calculated through the SVM. The equation
of the hyperplanes is [12]:
: ⋅ 0 adequate width selection of the kernel for the best accuracy is
1: ⋅ 1
2: ⋅ 1,
where is the normal vector of the hyperplane , and
represents the segmentation threshold from the origin. Since all
of the samples are outside the boundaries of hyperplanes 1
and 2, the constraints to the equation are satisfied [12].
B. Optimization of SVM
There are cases where a dataset can be non-linear, which
requires the SVM to be optimized to separate the data more
accurately. If the dataset is non-linear, a higher dimensional
plane can be implemented to the equations using kernel
functions. A kernel function is how an SVM does mapping
from a low space to a high dimension space [13]. Fig. 2 depicts
how an SVM maps through a dataset in a high dimension
feature space.
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Fig. 2 An example of SVM mapping [13]
The nature of a dataset will determine what type of kernel
function to use. Some common kernel functions include the
linear kernel function, polynomial kernel function, Radial Basis
Function (RBF), sigmoid kernel function, Fourier kernel
function, B-spline kernel function, and the wavelet kernel
function [15]. The RBF kernel, specifically a Gaussian radial
basis function, is a commonly used kernel function known for
accurate results. This function can be very versatile for different
dimensions, and it is more concise since it uses fewer
, used to optimize an SVM [15]:
parameters. Below shows the equation for an RBF kernel
function
| |
, : exp 2
2
Equation 2 shows an expansion of the kernel . On the
numerator is the square of the distance between two of the
feature vectors x and y, on the denominator is which
represents the variance. When training and testing an SVM,
1
also necessary. The output of an SVM is a binary classification
between two or more classes. If a percent accuracy is wanted
instead, fuzzy inference can be implemented into an SVM
model for even higher accuracy.
III. FUZZY-SVM
The crossover between the previously discussed topics in
SVM and fuzzy is an idea that can bring a lot of different
options with the implementation of fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic
refers to the space between 1 and 0 where a truth value can lie
[16]. This truth value can express variables of partial truth that
lie in the “fuzzy” space between 1 and 0 where binary has no
output case. Fuzzy has been applied to many different cases and
systems, and our project is no exception. In this case, however,
the challenge will be to find the correct crossover between
fuzzy and SVM.
The advantages for using an SVM system with fuzzy logic
integrated make the concept attractive for use in many different
applications, one of those being image recognition. While this
 idea is fairly new in the industry, the concept is one that is very
advantageous when working with an output that could benefit
from a more complex classification than a simple binary result.
The biggest advantage of fuzzy SVM lies in the fact that the
output will give the user a better idea of what the output entails.
For example, the fuzzy output combined with the output of the
SVM can provide a higher confidence level than a simple 1 or
0 that would come from the SVM alone.
A. Introduction of fuzzy logic in SVM
The fuzzy SVM combines SVM and fuzzy to create a deeper
reading of the data. When the data set used is linear or semi
linear, a linear kernel is desired to best classify the data and find
the optimal hyperplane for the data. In a nonlinear case,
however, an RBF kernel is often used. The reason is that an
RBF kernel better classifies the complex data points that often
come in nonlinear data, as discussed earlier in this paper. There
are many different kernel types for SVM functionality, but the
RBF kernel is one of the most common options due to its
success rate in classifying data, especially nonlinear data. One
of the biggest advantages of the crossover between fuzzy and
SVM is how it handles noisy data. Noisy data in our case would
refer to data in the images that is useless, corrupted, or ruined
by different factors. A normal SVM has trouble classifying this
data since it is so difficult to detect, whereas a fuzzy SVM
system can handle this type of data due to the ability to classify
it in the fuzzy space between 1 and 0. Fuzzy SVM brings the
ability of “producing unambiguously a generalized separating
hyperplane with the uncertainty from the noisy samples which
are neighboring around the decision boundary” [17].
B. Previous applications of fuzzy SVM
There have been many previous applications of fuzzy SVM,
some being powerful image recognition [17] and even protein
binding sites [10]. In reference [17], an example of a fuzzy
SVM applied to image processing is presented. In reference
[17] the authors use the fuzzy SVM to process images from
three different categories.
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The first image categories discussed in [17] was outdoor
versus indoor images where the fuzzy SVM would classify the
given image into an outdoor or an indoor class with a
confidence level attached. The accuracy of this first
classification set was reported to be 86% for the outdoor images
and 84% for the indoor images.
The second image categories discussed in [17] was natural
versus artificial landscapes. The fuzzy SVM took images from
the decided outdoor images classification from the previous
step and from there classified each as either a natural setting or
an artificial one. The accuracy during this step for the natural
settings was 92.2%, whereas the accuracy level for the artificial
settings was 93%. In this step the fuzzy SVM was even
compared to the accuracy of a Learning Vector Quantization
(LVQ) classifying the same images. It was found that the fuzzy
SVM was more accurate in its classifications.
The last/third image category discussed in [17] stemmed
from the natural landscapes category, which was classified into
different categories such as Mountain, Sea, Forest, and others.
In the Sea subcategory the images were assigned a choppy sea
versus calm sea classification. The calm sea not only received
a positive classification, but also an “easy” feeling, whereas the
choppy sea received a negative classification accompanied with
a “nervous” feeling. Specifically, in this last classification step,
we can see the power that fuzzy logic brings to the classification
process by adding another layer of detail to the system that is
not possible through an SVM alone.
IV. IMPLEMENTATION AND FUTURE RESEARCH
A. Implementation of fuzzy SVM
This system will be implemented in a scale model of a wind
turbine. To do this: i) initial image processing is executed in
Python to reduce the noise present in the images while image
formatting is performed in MATLAB, ii) the SVM algorithm
and the image recognition and classification as well as
 additional classification through fuzzy logic is performed in
MATLAB, and iii) the resulting classification for images is
outputted and checked for accuracy. Fig. 4 shows the block
diagram of the complete classification process.
First, the images of wind turbine blades with and without
faults are obtained from the real-world wind turbine prototype
system (Fig. 5). These images are processed in Python to reduce
the noise within the photos and to format the data for use in the
MATLAB script for the SVM algorithm. A set of wind turbine
images with faults is required to train the SVM algorithm.
Once the images are formatted using Python, the MATLAB
script for the SVM algorithm and fuzzy logic is used. The SVM
algorithm uses the training set to predict if faults are present in
the testing data set. Because a typical SVM algorithm returns a
binary classification, after the SVM algorithm is applied, fuzzy
logic is used to further classify the faults on the images.
Data
Acquisition
Image
Processing
every hour, to ensure that faults are quickly and accurately
detected. The final system will be tested using a real-world
scale model of a wind turbine.
V. CONCLUSION
Autonomous detection of faults in wind turbine blades is
important to ensure continued operation of wind energy
conversion systems. Utilizing SVM algorithms for image
recognition along with fuzzy reasoning for classification will
allow faults to be quickly and more accurately detected with no
input necessary from a user. Fuzzy logic is used to make the
classification more precise, instead of a typical binary
classification used in an SVM algorithm.
This paper introduced the implementation of SVM
combined with fuzzy logic for image recognition and fault
classification of wind turbine blades. The scale model of a wind
turbine prototype at Utah Valley University was used for
imaging of faulty blades. Initial image processing is executed
in Python and the Fuzzy-SVM system is implemented and
tested in MATLAB. Using an SVM machine learning algorithm
for detecting faults along with fuzzy classification helps to
more accurately identify faults present in wind turbine blades.
The future direction of this undergraduate research will be
on the implementation and testing of an autonomous drone-
based system to have a reliable and effective fault detection
technology for wind energy conversion system.

Binary Fault
Classification
Based on SVM

Classification with No Fault (Final

Fuzzy Logic Classification)

Probability of
Fault (Final
Classification)

Fig. 4 The block diagram of the implemented process flow to be improved in

future work

B. Future research
Our ongoing research aims to have a fully autonomous
system which does not require inputs from the user to detect
faults. To do this, an autonomous drone will be developed. The
drone will be equipped with a camera to take photos of the wind
turbine systems and its blades. Then, the images will be
uploaded for image processing and used for the SVM algorithm
and fuzzy classification system to detect faults. A drone flight
path which takes photos from several angles is to be developed
and implemented.
Utilizing an autonomous drone will help to make the fault Fig. 5 Prototype of wind turbine with faults (shown in red)
(Photo taken at UVU on 3/5/22)
detection system fully autonomous. A maintenance schedule
can be developed for the drone, such as flying and taking photos

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work is supported by the Office of the Commissioner
of Utah System of Higher Education (USHE)-Deep Technology
Initiative Grant 20210016UT.
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