Experimental crack propagation and failure analysis of the first stage compressor blade subjected to vibration

This paper presents results of experimental vibration tests of the helicopter turbo-engine compressor blades. The blades used in investigation were retired from maintenance under technical inspection of engine. Investigations were conducted for selected undamaged blades, without existence of preliminary cracks or corrosion pits. The blades during experiment were entered into transverse vibration. The crack propagation process was conducted in resonance condition. During the fatigue test, the growth of crack was monitored. In the second part of work, a nonlinear finite element method was utilized to determine the stress state of the blade during vibration. In this analysis a first mode of transverse vibration were considered. High maximum principal stress zone was found at the region of blade where the crack occurred.     

Effect of LCF on HCF crack growth of Ti-17

An improved understanding of fatigue crack growth phenomena applicable to titanium engine disks was developed through complimentary experimental and analytical investigations of Ti-17. The effect of low cycle fatigue (LCF) on the high cycle fatigue (HCF) threshold and rate of crack propagation was studied. A simplified variable-amplitude spectrum, consisting of high-R cycles, corresponding to HCF loading, and periodic R=0.1 cycles, corresponding to LCF loading, was used to demonstrate a load-interaction effect. When the ratio of HCF to LCF cycles was 100 or more the fatigue crack growth lifetimes were significantly lower than predicted using linear damage summation methods assuming no load-interaction effect. Thus, it was concluded that the LCF cycle accelerated the fatigue crack growth rate of subsequent HCF cycles, even when closure was concluded to be negligible. A phenomenological model was formulated based on hypothesized changes in the propagation resistance, K_PR, and fit to the test data. The model confirmed that the periodic LCF cycles increased fatigue crack growth rates of subsequent HCF cycles.     

Failure analysis of Ti6Al4V gas turbine compressor blades

The failure mechanism of Ti6Al4V compressor blades of an industrial gas turbine was analysed by means of both experimental characterisations and numerical simulation techniques. Several premature failures were occurred in the high pressure section of the compressor due to the fracture of the blade roots. Metallurgical and mechanical properties of the blade alloy were evaluated. A 2D finite element model of the blade root was constructed and used to provide accurate estimates of stress field in the dovetail blade root and to determine the crack initiation in the dovetail.

The results showed no metallurgical and mechanical deviations for the blade materials from standards. SEM fractography showed different aspects of fretting fatigue including multiple crack initiation sites, fatigue beach marks, debris particles, and a high surface roughness in the edge of contact (EOC). The numerical model clearly showed the region of highest stress concentration at the front EOC of the blade root in the dovetail region, correlated closely with the experimentally characterised fatigue crack region. It was concluded that this failure has occurred due to the tight contact between the blade root and the disk in the dovetail region as well as low wear resistance of the blade root.     

Failure analysis of components in compressor vane

The paper presents a failure analysis of components damaged in compressor vane. In order to investigate the damage mechanism and failure causes of components, macroscopic and microscopic observations, microstructural investigations, chemical analysis and hardness measurement have been performed. The results show that the damaged components are caused by fractured blades of 1st stage rotor. In all 1st stage rotor blades, 1^# blade is fractured firstly, and is troublemaker in this incident. The fracture mechanism of 1^# blade fractured from blade root is due to first order bending vibration fatigue damage. The microstructure, hardness and chemical compositions of 1^# blade fracture, all which coincide with technical requirements. The bad shot peening qualities in the surface near blade fracture have important influence on fatigue failure.     

某型航空发动机压气机四级转子叶片失效分析

某型航空发动机压气机四级转子叶片是故障多发叶片.对叶片典型失效件进行了断口分析,发现叶片故障是由于叶片表面发生腐蚀导致疲劳强度降低,使得叶片在振动应力下发生疲劳失效.进一步对显微组织进行分析,发现叶片材质合乎要求,叶片腐蚀主要是由于使用环境因素造成的.研究结果对于叶片的故障分析及预防具有重要的意义.     

Cement kiln dust induced corrosion fatigue damage of gas turbine compressor blades – A failure analysis

Compressor of one of the gas turbines installed in a power plant was stopped under emergency conditions. Primary investigation showed that almost all of the first stage blades and some of the next stages were severely damaged. In this study, one of the first stage broken blades was failure analyzed. The results showed that the corrosion pits were formed on the compressor blade surface due to the presence of Cl and S elements in the compressor inlet air. Since the power plant located in the vicinity of a cement company and also an oil refining company, the inlet air of compressor had large amounts of Cl and S containing compounds. The corrosion pits acted as stress concentration sites, and facilitated fatigue crack initiation and propagation, leading to final fracture of the blades.     

Investigations on fretting fatigue in aircraft engine compressor blade

An investigation of several cracked blade tangs in the military aircraft engine compressor was conducted to identify the root cause of the failure. These cracks were found during the scheduled maintenance with fluorescent penetration inspection. The engine compressor blade made of Ti–6Al–4V is attached to compressor rotor by means of inserting retaining pin through rotor and blade tang. By analyzing the fracture surface of the failed blade tang, it is found that the crack in the blade tang was initiated by fretting fatigue and propagated under low cycle fatigue. Stress analysis of the blade using a non-linear finite element method is coincident with the results of fractography. The clearance between retaining pin and tang hole caused small amplitude of sliding motion leading to fretting wear during engine operation. Consequently, the damaged area due to fretting wear acts as a stress raiser inside tang hole and contributes to accelerate fretting fatigue.     

Influence of the Initiation Length in Predictions of Life in Fretting Fatigue

Abstract: Two different phases are usually distinguished in the crack growth process: initiation and propagation. Within the models used in determining fatigue life, there are many that combine both phases, determining total life as the sum of the number of cycles spent in initiation, N_i, and propagation, N_p. In order to apply these models, it is necessary to define the crack length at which it is considered that initiation finishes and propagation begins: initiation length, a_i. This length is usually defined a priori based on the size of the smallest detectable crack, on the definition of failure in the S‐N curve, or by choosing the value that better fits the experimental results. The object of this paper is to analyse the influence of this initiation length over the estimated fatigue life in fretting fatigue. The model used calculates the initiation phase from an S‐N curve where the propagation cycles from the defined initiation length have been subtracted. This model is applied to a group of fretting fatigue tests with spherical contact.     

Influence of processing parameters of selective laser melting on high‐cycle and very‐high‐cycle fatigue behaviour of Ti‐6Al‐4V

Orthogonal experiment design together with the analysis of variance was used to examine the processing parameters (laser power, scan speed, layer thickness and hatch spacing) of selective laser melting (SLM) for superior properties of SLM parts, in which nine groups of specimens of Ti‐6Al‐4V were fabricated. The results clarify that the influence sequence of individual parameter on the porosity is laser power > hatch spacing > layer thickness > scan speed. Ultrasonic fatigue tests (20 kHz) were conducted for the SLMed specimens in high‐cycle fatigue (HCF) and very‐high‐cycle fatigue (VHCF) regimes. The S‐N data show that the fatigue strength is greatly affected by the porosity: the group with the smallest porosity percentage having the highest fatigue strength in HCF and VHCF regimes. Then, the tests on the validation group were performed to verify the optimal combination of SLM processing parameters. Moreover, the observations by scanning electron microscopy revealed that fatigue cracks initiate at lack‐of‐fusion defects in the cases of surface and internal crack initiation.     

Dynamic and fatigue compressor blade characteristics during fluid-structure interaction: Part I—Blade modelling and vibration analysis

Fatigue failure in blades resulting from alternating loads is a primary cause of aircraft engine failure. In this study, the dynamic and fatigue performance of a compressor blade, which is prone to fatigue failure in practical use, is verified through numerical analysis and tests to identify specific failure causes and ultimately prevent blade failure. Two companion papers describe this work. Part I—blade modelling and vibration analysis establishes a compressor blade model based on reverse engineering and investigates the blade's dynamic characteristics during aerodynamic and structural behaviour interactions under various flight conditions. To accurately describe the dynamic performance of a real blade, three blade models with different fitting precisions are constructed to support dynamic response analysis. In addition, the flow field of each model is constructed to simulate the aerodynamic loads that cause blade vibration. A numerically based analysis of the fluid-structure interaction is subsequently performed. A reasonable calculation model is selected by comparing the dynamic characteristics among these models. The Campbell diagram is analysed to determine resonance probability, and blade failure cause is ultimately verified based on the vibration analysis. The results show that different accuracies in the blade calculation model produce varying degrees of error; the calculation model's ability to reflect the dynamic and fatigue behaviours of a real blade is recommended to be used as a critical evaluation index in the numerical study. The first-order harmonic resonance occurring at critical speeds may contribute to blade failure.     

Failure analysis and retrofit design of low pressure 1st stage blades for a steam turbine

Cracking of blade fingers occurred in a few numbers of low pressure 1st stage blades for a certain type of steam turbines. In order to find out the failure mechanism, one of the cracked blades has been inspected. The inspection results showed that the cracking of the blade finger was caused by high cycle fatigue and surface defect coming from rough machining induced the initiation of crack. Vibratory modes of the blade group have been calculated and measured using a 3D finite element S/W and impact test, respectively. The results showed that resonance of the second type group axial vibration mode with nozzle passing frequency was the source of high cycle fatigue load. To avoid the dangerous resonance, the blade groups have been modified into 10 blades per group without any change of vane and dovetail. The new blade groups have been operated safely more than 2 years since the modification.     

Influence of foreign object damage on fatigue crack growth of gas turbine aerofoils under complex loading conditions

Foreign object damage (FOD) has been identified as one of the main life limiting factors for aeroengine blades, with the leading edge of aerofoils particularly susceptible. In this work, a generic edge ‘aerofoil’ geometry was utilized in a study of early fatigue crack growth behaviour due to FOD under low cycle fatigue (LCF), high cycle fatigue (HCF) and combined LCF and HCF loading conditions. Residual stresses due to FOD were analyzed using the finite element method. The longitudinal residual stress component along the crack path was introduced as a nodal temperature distribution, and used in the correction of the stress intensity factor range. The crack growth was monitored using a nanodirect current potential drop (DCPD) system and crack growth rates were correlated with the corrected stress intensity factor considering the residual stresses. The results were discussed with regard to the role of residual stresses in the characterization of fatigue crack growth. Small crack growth behaviour in FODed specimens was revealed only after the residual stresses were taken into account in the calculation of the stress intensity factor, a feature common to LCF, HCF and combined LCF + HCF loading conditions.     

Multiaxial small fatigue crack growth in metals

Observations related to the formation and growth of small cracks ranging from subgrain dimension up to the order of 1 mm are summarized for amplitudes ranging from low cycle fatigue (LCF) to high cycle fatigue (HCF) conditions for polycrystalline metals. Further efforts to improve the accuracy of life estimation which address LCF, HCF and LCF–HCF interactions must consider various factors that are not presently addressed by conventional elastic–plastic fracture mechanics (EPFM) or linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) approaches based on long, self-similar cracks in homogeneous, isotropic materials, nor by conventional HCF design tools such as the ε–N curve, the S–N curve, modified Goodman diagram and fatigue limit.Development of microstructure-sensitive fatigue crack propagation relations relies on deeper understanding of small crack behavior, including (a) interactions with microstructure and lack of constraint for microstructurally small cracks, (b) heterogeneity and anisotropy of cyclic slip processes associated with the orientation distribution of grains, and (c) local mode mixity effects on small crack growth. The basic technology is not yet sufficiently advanced in these areas to implement robust damage tolerant design for HCF. This paper introduces an engineering model which approximates the results of slip transfer calculations related to crack blockage by microstructure barriers; the model is consistent with critical plane concepts for Stage I growth of small cracks, standard cyclic stress–strain and strain–life equations above threshold, and the Kitagawa diagram for HCF threshold behaviors. It is able to correlate the most relevant trends of small crack growth behavior, including crack arrest at the fatigue limit, load sequence effects, and stress state effects.     

Fatigue life prediction for toe ground welded joints

The paper presents the results of an investigation of the effect of weld toe burr grinding on the fatigue performance of non-load-carrying transverse fillet welded joints. Crack initiation and propagation were monitored by a modified replica method. It was found that, although the average life increase due to toe grinding was in agreement with published data, the majority of the fatigue cracks in specimens that gave fatigue lives <～10⁶ cycles initiated at flaws just beneath the ground surface. Both the experiments and calculations based on fracture mechanics suggested that the fatigue lives of the toe ground joints in this life regime were dominated by the crack propagation process. However, in the long life regime (>10⁶ cycles), crack initiation became significant. Reasonable estimates of the crack initiation period were made using the local stress approach proposed by Lawrence et al. [Lawrence FV, Mattos RJ, Higashida Y, Burk JD. Estimating the fatigue crack initiation life of welds. In: Hoeppner DW, editor, Fatigue Testing of Weldments, ASTM STP 648, American Society for Testing and Materials; 1978, p. 134–58]. The investigation suggested that more benefit from weld toe grinding could be claimed in the long (N > 10⁶ cycles) than the short life regime.     

Fracture analysis of compressor blade of a helicopter engine

This paper presents the failure analysis of the blade of a helicopter engine. From the visual examination of the fractured surface, it was possible to observe beach marks, typical of fatigue failure. The crack was initiated from the corrosion pit located on the attack edge of the blade. A non-linear finite element method was utilized to determine the stress state of the blade under rotation (operational conditions). In this analysis an undamaged blade was considered. Computations for the blade, working in the vibration conditions additionally were performed for analysis of phenomena occurring during the blade resonance. In this analysis first three mode of vibration were considered. Attention of this study is devoted to the mechanisms of damage of the compressor blade which works in the condition favorable for the pitting corrosion.     

Fatigue behaviour of SiCp-reinforced aluminium composites in the very high cycle regime using ultrasonic fatigue

The fatigue behaviour of a 2009/SiC/15p‐T4 DRA composite has been examined in the very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) regime where 10⁷≤N_f≤ 10⁹ cycles. Ultrasonic fatigue was used to achieve the very high cycle counts. Careful processing yielded a composite with a very homogeneous particle distribution with minimal clustering. Fatigue crack initiation was observed almost exclusively at AlCuFe inclusions with no crack initiation observed at SiC particle clusters. Fatigue lives at a given stress level exhibited minimal scatter and subsurface crack initiation was observed in all cases. This behaviour is consistent with the presence of a low number density of critical inclusions that are responsible for crack initiation very early in fatigue life.     

Combined cycle fatigue of 7075 aluminum alloy – Fracture surface characterization and short crack propagation

Aim of this study is an interpretation of the influence of variable-amplitude (VA) cycles superimposed to low-frequency loads on fatigue life of 7075-T651 Al-alloys. Constant-amplitude (CA) 20 kHz stress/strain-life (S–N) and (ε–N)-curves with and without superimposed mean loads serve as basis. For combined fatigue loading, life-time measurements were performed. Life-time estimations based on the S–N results reveal a damaging effect of the superimposed ultrasonic vibrations in the high cycle fatigue (HCF) and the very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) regimes. The CA and VA-life time results are correlated with fractographic observations. An interpretation of fatigue lives under combined low and high-frequency VA-loading is proposed considering small/short-crack propagation and arrest mechanisms.     

Vibration Modal Analysis of Compressor Blade based on ANSYS

Compressor is an important part of aero engine. In the environment of high temperature and high pressure,compressor blade will suffer from several physical and chemical processes,such as centrifugal force,aerodynamic force vibration and oxidation. These processes will lead compressor blade to fatigue fracture,and at the same time,make negative effects on the engine' s overall performance. Based on the software ANSYS15. 0,we made strength analysis and modal analysis of compressor blade in this paper. As a result,we got its natural frequencies,relevant modal parameters and vibration mode cloud pictures. After analyzing the influence that centrifugal force made on modal parameters,we predicted the expected damage of the blade. Eventually the analysis results will provide the basis for overall performance evaluation,structural crack detection,fatigue life estimation and strength calculation of aircraft engine compressor.     

Investigation of high cycle and Very-High-Cycle Fatigue behaviors for a structural steel with smooth and notched specimens

The high cycle and Very-High-Cycle Fatigue (VHCF) properties of a structural steel with smooth and notched specimens were studied by employing a rotary bending machine with frequency of 52.5 Hz. For smooth specimens, VHCF failure did occur at fatigue cycles of 7.1 × 10⁸ with the related S–N curve of stepwise tendency. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used for the observations of the fracture surfaces. It shows that for smooth specimens the crack origination is surface mode in the failure regime of less than 10⁷ cycles. While at VHCF regime, the material failed from the nonmetallic inclusion lies in the interior of material, leading to the formation of fisheye pattern. The dimensions of crack initiation region were measured and discussed with respect to the number of cycles to failure. The mechanism analysis by means of low temperature fracture technique shows that the nonmetallic inclusion in the interior of specimen tends to debond from surrounding matrix and form a crack. The crack propagates and results to the final failure. The stress intensity factor and fatigue strength were calculated to investigate the crack initiation properties. VHCF study on the notched specimens shows that the obtained S–N curve decreases continuously. SEM analysis reveals that multiple crack origins are dominant on specimen surface and that fatigue crack tends to initiate from the surface of the specimen. Based on the fatigue tests and observations, a model of crack initiation was used to describe the transition of fatigue initiation site from subsurface to surface for smooth and notched specimens. The model reveals the influences of load, grain size, inclusion size and surface notch on the crack initiation transition.     

The effect of interference-fit on fretting fatigue crack initiation and ΔK of a single pinned plate in 7075 Al-alloy

The effect of interference-fit on fretting fatigue crack initiation and ΔK was studied numerically for available experimental results in a single pinned plate in Al-alloy 7075-T6. The role of interference ratio was investigated alongside friction coefficient through finite element. Cyclic stress distributions in the plate ligament and fretting stresses on the contact interface were evaluated using 3-D elastic–plastic finite element models. Additionally a 3-D elastic finite element model was utilized to discuss ΔK of cracks emanating from interference fitted holes. Results demonstrate that fretting was the main reason for crack nucleation, and furthermore, the location was precisely predicted and fatigue life enhancement was explained.