Crack propagation life of high-speed aviation gear

Abstract

Abstract The most common fault in aviation power transmission systems is the fatigue fracture of gears, which seriously affects the reliability and safety of the structure. The aim of this study is to analyze the crack propagation path (CPP) to predict the crack propagation life (CPL) of gears. The location of crack initiation is determined by statics analysis and building a gear pair model in ANSYS software. A FEM model of the gear pair with a crack is created, the Stress Intensity Factor (SIF) at the crack tip is calculated, and the influence of the initial state of the crack on the SIF is analyzed. FRANC3D is adopted to obtain the CPP and CPL. Based on the obtained results, the impact of gear structure parameters on CPL is discussed. With the reduction of flange thickness, web thickness, and root radius, the CPL gradually decreases.