Numerical and Experimental Assessment of the Effect of Residual Stresses on the Fatigue Strength of an Aircraft Blade

Abstract

The work presents the results of numerical fatigue analysis of a turbine engine compressor blade, taking into account the values of initial stresses resulting from surface treatment-shot-peening. The values of the residual stresses were estimated experimentally using X-ray diffraction. The paper specifies the values of the residual stresses on both sides of the blade and their reduction due to cutting through the blade-relaxation. The obtained values of the residual stresses were used as initial stresses in the numerical fatigue analysis of the damaged compressor blade, which was subjected to resonant vibrations of known amplitude. Numerical fatigue ε-N life analysis was based on several fatigue material models: Manson’s, Mitchell’s, Baumel-Seeger’s, Muralidharan-Manson’s, Ong’s, Roessle-Fatemi’s, and Median’s, and also on the three models of cyclic hardening: Manson’s, Xianxin’s, and Fatemi’s. Because of this approach, it was possible to determine the relationship between the selection of the fatigue material ε-N model and the cyclic hardening model on the results of the numerical fatigue analysis. Additionally, the calculated results were compared with the results of experimental research, which allowed for a substantive evaluation of the obtained results. These results are of great scientific and practical importance. The problem of determining the fatigue life of blades with defects operating under resonance vibrations is one of the original tasks in the field of fracture mechanics and experimental mechanics. The results obtained are of great importance in the aviation industry and can be used during engine maintenance and inspections to assess the suitability of blades with defects in terms of the needs of further work. This aspect of engineering maintenance is of great importance from the aircraft safety point of view.