Wind turbine rotor blade assembly having a structural trailing edge

A method for joining shell members of a rotor blade together, the method comprising:

• providing a first shell member of the rotor blade;
• providing at least one structural feature atop the first shell member of the rotor blade and spaced apart from a trailing edge of the rotor blade, wherein the at least one structural feature is formed, at least in part, of at least one of a thermoset material and a thermoplastic material, the at least one of the thermoset material and the thermoplastic material being reinforced with one or more fiber materials, the at least one structural feature further comprising a core material at least partially surrounded by the at least one of the thermoset material and the thermoplastic material, wherein the at least one structural feature has a tapered chord-wise cross-section continuously decreasing towards the trailing edge of the rotor blade;
• placing a second shell member of the rotor blade atop the first shell member to form the rotor blade, the rotor blade defining a void between the first shell member, the second shell member, the trailing edge, and the at least one structural feature;
• applying pressure to at least one of the first shell member or the second shell member to compress the at least one structural feature, thereby forming a fillet profile within the void;
• and,
• filling the void with an adhesive to provide an adhesive connection between the first shell member, the second shell member, the trailing edge, and the at least one structural feature.

A method for joining shell members of a rotor blade together, the method comprising:

• providing a first shell member of the rotor blade;
• providing a plurality of structural features atop the first shell member of the rotor blade and spaced apart from a trailing edge of the rotor blade, wherein the plurality of structural features are arranged end-to-end in a chord-wise direction with respect to one another, wherein each of the structural features has a tapered chord-wise cross-section continuously decreasing towards the trailing edge of the rotor blade;
• placing a second shell member of the rotor blade atop the first shell member to form the rotor blade, the rotor blade defining a void between the first shell member, the second shell member, the trailing edge, and the plurality of structural features;
• applying pressure to at least one of the first shell member or the second shell member to compress the plurality of structural features, thereby forming a fillet profile within the void;
• and,
• filling the void with an adhesive to provide an adhesive connection between the first shell member, the second shell member, the trailing edge, and the plurality of structural features.