Turbines encounter blade failures due to fatigue and creep. It has been shown in the literature that the primary cause of steam turbine blade failures worldwide can be ascribed to fatigue in low pressure (LP) turbine blades. The failure and damage to these blades can lead to catastrophic consequences. Some utilities use empirical methods to determine the forces experienced by turbine blades but desire more accurate methods. The inaccurate prediction of high-cycle fatigue (HCF), thermal durability and stage performance is introduced when one does not consider blade row interaction. Blade row interactions can, however, be accounted for by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Furthermore, modern high- fidelity CFD tools would be able to contribute greatly in predicting the forces experienced by turbine blades. Numerical tools such as CFD and nite element analysis (FEA) can greatly contribute to the estimation of the remaining useful life (RUL) of turbine blades. However, in this estimation process, there are various uncertainties and aspects that affect the estimated RUL. Understanding the sensitivity of the estimated RUL to these various uncertainties and aspects is of great importance if RUL is to be estimated as accurately as possible. In this dissertation, a sensitivity analysis is performed with the purpose of establishing the sensitivity of the estimated RUL of the last stage rotor of an LP steam turbine, to the number of harmonics used in a nonlinear harmonic (NLH) CFD simulation. The sensitivity of the estimated RUL is evaluated in the HCF regime, where the cyclic stresses occur below the yield strength of the turbine blade. A CFD model, FE model, and fatigue model were therefore developed in such a manner that would suffice, regarding the purpose of the sensitivity analysis. The CFD model is validated by comparing the predicted CFD power to that of actual generated power of a dual 100MW LP steam turbine. The sensitivity analysis is performed for 3 operation conditions, and for each operational condition the aerodynamic forces were computed using 1, 2, and 3 harmonics in an NLH simulation. The estimation process considers a weak coupling between the CFD model and FE model. NLH simulations are firstly performed to calculate the unsteady static surface pressure distributions on the last stage rotor. This is followed by the mapping thereof to the FE model, for which a transient structural analysis is performed. Finally, the RUL is estimated by performing a fatigue analysis on the stress history obtained from the transient structural analysis. Based on the results of the sensitivity analysis, the following recommendations were made, from a conservative point of view. Firstly, in general, if the RUL is to be estimated with reasonable accuracy, just using 1 harmonic in an NLH simulation will not be sufficient and 2 harmonics should be used. Secondly, if the RUL has to be estimated with high accuracy, 3 harmonics should be used. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / National Research Foundation (NRF) / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / MEng / Unrestricted

The main content of this master's thesis is a determination of the fatigue properties by using non-destructive testing methods – the acoustic emission technique and the X-ray diffraction. The reactor steel, that is named GOST 15Ch2NMFA, is used as a model material and is used to manufacture VVER-1000 reactor pressure vessels. The supplied material was made of two different steel melting, designated as H and S. For the basic measurement of the fatigue properties the stress-cycle asymmetry R = -1 was used. Some of the samples were used for approximate determination of the fatigue strength stress-cycle asymmetry R = 0. During the loading process the resonance frequency of the loading machine and acoustic emission signals were recorded. The changes in microstructure were estimated from the record of acoustic emissions during the whole fatigue life. The change of the microstructure was experimentally observed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The mechanism of the fatigue can be described by the observation of the microstructural processes as well as the relevant bifurcation with sufficient sensitivity. The results of the used methods indicate a decay and re-growth of mosaic blocks during the whole loading process. Therefore, it is important to find a correlation of these two non-destructive methods, or to use other non-destructive testing methods in the future.

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[pt] Pesquisas atuais evidenciam que diversos materiais com aplicação nas indústrias automotiva, ferroviária, aeronáutica e aeroespacial não apresentam um limite de fadiga. Porém, em torno de 1860 Wohler propôs a curva S-N (tensão - número de ciclos), admitindo um conceito que há um limite de fadiga, estipulado na época como 1E5 ciclos e considerado como vida infinita em fadiga. Contudo, com os avanços tecnológicos, inúmeros componentes falham na condição de vida infinita, de maneira contrária ao proposto por Wöhler. Atualmente, se considera 3 regimes distintos de fadiga: fadiga de baixo ciclo, fadiga de alto ciclo e fadiga de altíssimo ciclo. Nas indústrias automotivas há um extensivo uso de chapas de aço para a fabricação de componentes de geometria complexa. Neste contexto, o aço interstitial free (IF – aços com baixa quantidade de átomos intersticiais), é um dos materiais de largo emprego, em função da sua excelente estampabilidade. O aço IF apresenta uma microestrutura ferrítica com uma baixíssima quantidade de elementos intersticiais. Interstícios com carbono e nitrogênio são estabilizados pelo titânio (Ti) ou nióbio (Nb) formando frações de volume extremamente pequenas na matriz ferrítica de carbetos e nitretos. O trabalho baseia-se na investigação experimental dos danos microestruturais no aço IF após carregamentos cíclicos de longa duração. Amostras do aço IF estabilizado pelo Ti foram submetidas a ensaios ultrassônicos de fadiga com carregamentos superiores a 1E7 ciclos. Se observou o aparecimento de danos microestruturais (persistent slip bands, PSB s) após determinado número de ciclos. Por meio de análise no microscópio ótico foi estimado que 97,76 por cento da vida em fadiga foi destinado para nucleação de trinca enquanto 2,23 por cento para a propagação de trinca. Houve o projeto de um novo corpo de prova para a máquina de fadiga de altíssimo, com o intuito de acompanha a superfície do material durante os ensaios. É proposto a equação da curva S-N fadiga de altíssimo ciclo com os dados extraídos dos testes. E por fim, é sugerido um fator de correção na equação de deformação plástica cisalhante nos PSB s formados / [en] Current research shows that several materials with application in the automotive, railway, aeronautical and aerospace industries do not have a fatigue limit. However, around 1860 Wohler proposed the S-N curve (stress - number of cycles), admitting a concept that there is a fatigue limit, stipulated at the time as 1E5 cycles and considered as infinite fatigue life. Although, with technological advances, numerous components fail in the condition of infinite life, contrary to what Wöhler proposed. Currently, 3 different fatigue regimes are considered: low cycle fatigue, high cycle fatigue and very high cycle fatigue. In the automotive industries there is an extensive use of sheet steel for the manufacture of components with complex geometry. In this context, interstitial free steel (IF steel) is one of the widely used materials, due to its excellent stampability. IF steel has a ferritic microstructure with a very low amount of interstitial elements. Interstices with carbon and nitrogen are stabilized by titanium (Ti) or niobium (Nb) forming extremely small volume fractions in the ferritic matrix of carbides and nitrides. The work is based on the experimental investigation of microstructural damage in IF steel after long-term cyclic loading. Samples of Ti-stabilized IF steel were subjected to ultrasonic fatigue tests with loads greater than 1E7 cycles. It was observed the arising of microstructural damage (persistent slip bands, PSB s) after a certain number of cycles. By means of image analysis in the optical microscope, it was estimated that 97.76 percent of the fatigue life was destined for crack nucleation while 2.23 percent for crack propagation in very high cycle fatigue regime. There was the project of a new specimen for the very high fatigue machine, in order to accompany the surface of the material during the tests. It is proposed the equation of the curve S-N fatigue of very high cycle os with data extracted from the tests. Finally, a correction factor is suggested in the plastic shear deformation equation in PSB s based on experimental data.

As ligas de alumínio são aplicadas em cerca de 70% dos componentes estruturais dos aviões e o processo de fadiga e o modo de falha predominante em estruturas aeronáuticas, para a maioria das quais a presença de concentradores de tensão e inevitável. O comportamento em fadiga e as propriedades mecânicas das ligas de alumínio endurecíveis por precipitação são fortemente influenciadas por parâmetros como tamanho, espaçamento e densidade dos precipitados endurecedores. Neste contexto, pesquisas anteriores tem mostrado que o envelhecimento interrompido (T6I4) pode proporcionar melhores combinações de propriedades mecânicas para estas ligas. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo o estudo das propriedades mecânicas e do comportamento em fadiga de alto ciclo das ligas de alumínio AA6351 e AA7050 nas condições de tratamento térmico convencionais (T6 e T7451, respectivamente) e na condição T6I4, bem como da influência das características microestruturais e do tratamento térmico sobre estas propriedades. Dentro deste contexto, analises de Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão (MET) da liga AA6351 mostraram que a condição T6I4 resultou em uma maior densidade de precipitados endurecedores com tamanho heterogêneo, quando comparada com a condição T6. Para esta liga, a condição T6I4 também resultou em menores valores de tensão limite de escoamento, resistência a tração, resistência a fadiga e sensibilidade ao entalhe, com maior ductilidade e tenacidade. Para a liga AA7050, as análises de MET mostraram que a condição T6I4 resulta em uma maior densidade de precipitados endurecedores com menor tamanho, promovendo um melhor impedimento ao movimento de discordâncias durante a deformação por fadiga, quando comparada com a condição T7451. Esta alteração microestrutural proporcionou a condição T6I4 valores de resistência ao escoamento e resistência a tração similares a condição T7451, com maior ductilidade e tenacidade. A resistência a fadiga da condição T6I4 foi similar a condição T7451, entretanto o envelhecimento interrompido resultou em um melhor comportamento em sensibilidade ao entalhe. / Aluminum alloys are applied in approximately 70% of the aircraft structural components and the fatigue process is the dominant failure mode in aeronautical structures, for the most of which, the presence of stress concentrators is unavoidable. The fatigue behavior and the mechanical properties of the age hardenable aluminum alloys are strongly influenced by parameters including the size, spacing and density of strengthening precipitates. Within this context, previous researches have shown that the interrupted ageing (T6I4) could provide an improved combination of mechanical properties for these alloys. This work aims to study the mechanical properties and the high cycle fatigue behavior of AA6351 and AA7050 aluminum alloys in the conventional heat treatment conditions (T6 and T7451, respectively) and in the T6I4 condition, as well as the influence of the microstructural characteristics and of the heat treatment on these properties. Within this context, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analyzes of the AA6351 alloy showed that T6I4 condition resulted in higher density of hardening precipitates with heterogeneous size compared to T6 condition. For this alloy, the T6I4 condition resulted in lower values of yield stress, ultimate tensile strength, fatigue strength and notch sensitivity, with higher ductility and toughness. For the AA7050 alloy, TEM analyses showed that T6I4 condition presented a higher density of strengthening precipitates with smaller size promoting an improved dislocation pinning effect during the fatigue deformation compared to T7451 condition. This microstructural change provided to T6I4 condition yield stress and ultimate tensile strength similar to T7451, with higher ductility and toughness. The fatigue strength of T6I4 condition was also similar to T7451, however the interrupted ageing provided a better notch sensitivity behavior.

The accurate description of the nonlinear structural behaviour is an important issue in engineering science. Usually, classic nonlinear theories, such as fracture and damage mechanics, applied to finite element programmes are used to fulfil that purpose. Classic fracture mechanics describes the structural deterioration process by a few discrete cracks. This theory presents good precision for structures with simple geometries, few cracks and homogeneous materials. Classic damage mechanics measures the deterioration process by an internal variable called damage. This theory has been successful in the description of several deterioration mechanisms in continuum media. Despite their accuracy, classic fracture and damage mechanics present some drawbacks. Firstly, regarding civil engineering problems, both theories are not suitable for some practical applications. Secondly, fracture mechanics demands the consideration of initial cracks to begin the analysis. Lastly, classic damage models may present an issue known as localisation, what essentially leads to ill-posed problems and mesh-dependent numerical algorithms. Alternatively, a recent theory, called lumped damage mechanics, was proposed in order to achieve good accuracy in actual engineering problems. Such theory applies key concepts from fracture and damage mechanics in plastic hinges. In the light of the foregoing, the main goal of this thesis is the extension of the lumped damage mechanics framework to analyse different engineering problems. So far, lumped damage mechanics was characterised as a simplified methodology to analyse reinforced concrete frames under seismic and monotonic loadings; even with a few contributions on the analysis of local buckling in metallic structures. Therefore, this work extends the lumped damage mechanics framework to analyse reinforced concrete arches, unreinforced concrete structures, high cycle fatigue and continuum problems. The application examples show the accuracy of the proposed methodologies. / A descrição acurada do comportamento não linear de estruturas é um problema importante na engenharia. Usualmente, teorias não lineares clássicas, tais como as mecânicas da fratura e do dano, aplicadas a programas de elementos finitos são utilizadas a fim de cumprir aquele propósito. A mecânica da fratura clássica descreve o processo de deterioração estrutural por meio de um pequeno número de fissuras discretas. Esta teoria apresenta boa precisão para estruturas com geometrias simples, poucas fissuras e materiais homogêneos. A mecânica do dano clássica tem sido exitosa na descrição de diversos mecanismos de deterioração em meios contínuos. Apesar de precisas, as abordagens clássicas em fratura e dano apresentam alguns entraves. Primeiramente, tratando-se de problemas da engenharia civil, ambas teorias não são adequadas para aplicações práticas. Em segundo lugar, os modelos clássicos de fratura demandam a consideração de fissuras iniciais para iniciar a análise. Por fim, os modelos clássicos de dano podem apresentar um problema conhecido como localização, o que essencialmente implica em problemas mal colocados e algoritmos com dependência de malha. Alternativamente, uma teoria recente, chamada teoria do dano concentrado, foi proposta a fim de obter boa precisão em problemas reais de engenharia. Tal teoria aplica conceitos-chave das mecânicas da fratura e do dano em rótulas plásticas. À luz do exposto, o principal objetivo desta tese é a extensão da teoria do dano concentrado para analisar diferente problemas da engenharia. Até então, a teoria do dano concentrado era caracterizada como uma metodologia simplificada para analisar pórticos de concreto armado sob solicitações monotônicas ou sísmicas; mesmo com algumas poucas contribuições na análise de instabilidade local em estruturas metálicas. Desta forma, este trabalho estende a teoria do dano concentrado a fim de analisar arcos de concreto armado, estruturas de concreto simples, fadiga de alto ciclo e problemas contínuos. Os exemplos de aplicação mostram a acurácia das metodologias propostas.

A indústria automotiva tem mostrado um crescente interesse pelas ligas de alumínio, em especial as ligas de alumínio da série 6xxx. Esta classe é amplamente empregada nas áreas de construção e de transporte, devido a sua boa resistência mecânica e excelente resistência à corrosão. No setor automobilístico sempre houve a necessidade de aprimoramento dos estudos do comportamento em fadiga, pois os componentes estruturais são submetidos a carregamentos vibratórios, esforços e tensões cíclicas e, como consequência, podem trincar e finalmente fraturar. A presença de um entalhe geralmente diminui a vida em fadiga, criando regiões de altas tensões triaxiais localizadas que restringem a deformação plástica, fragilizando o material. A resposta mecânica depende das solicitações, microestrutura, componentes da liga e propriedades do material. Neste trabalho foi realizado o estudo do comportamento em fadiga de alto ciclo e da sensibilidade ao entalhe de três ligas de alumínio da série 6xxx destinadas à fabricação de componentes de carroçarias para caminhões e ônibus: AA 6005, AA 6063 e AA 6351, todas na condição T6. As curvas S/N foram obtidas por meio de ensaios de fadiga em flexão rotativa (R = -1). Ensaios com peças entalhadas (Kt ? 3,0) permitiram determinar e comparar o fator de concentração de tensão em fadiga e a sensibilidade ao entalhe das ligas estudadas. Também foi estudada a influência da microestrutura e das partículas intermetálicas sobre as propriedades de fadiga. As superfícies das peças fraturadas foram observadas ao MEV e verificou-se que a maioria dos sítios de nucleação de trincas por fadiga ocorreram próximos a partículas de segunda fase que atuam como concentradores de tensão. / The automotive industry has shown a growing interest in aluminum alloys, particularly the AA 6xxx series. This class of alloys is widely used in construction and transportation because of their good mechanical strength, easy fabrication and excellent corrosion resistance. In the automotive sector there was always a need for improved studies of the fatigue behavior, because the structural components are subjected to vibratory loads and cyclic stresses and, as a consequence, may eventually crack and fracture. The presence of a notch generally decreases the fatigue life, creating regions of high triaxial stresses which restrain plastic deformation, weakening the material. The response depends on the mechanical solicitations, microstructure, the alloy components and the material properties. In this work it was conducted a study of the high cycle fatigue behavior and the notch sensitivity of three aluminum alloys used in components of truck and bus bodies: AA 6005, AA 6063 and AA 6351, all provided in T6 condition. The S/N curves were obtained by tests in rotating bending fatigue (R = -1). Tests with notched samples (Kt?3.0) allowed to determine and compare the fatigue concentration factor and the notch sensitivity of the studied alloys. It was also studied the influence of microstructure and the intermetallic particles on the fatigue properties. The surfaces of the fractured samples were observed via SEM and showed that most of the nucleation sites of fatigue cracking occurred near the second phase particles, which act as stress concentrators.

Neste trabalho, foram determinadas as propriedades mecânicas de fadiga de baixo e alto ciclo e de tenacidade à fratura JIC de um aço inoxidável austenítico do sistema Cr-Mn-N, utilizado na confecção de colares para perfurações pela indústria de exploração de petróleo. Foi também avaliada a influência da temperatura de serviço nas propriedades mecânicas do aço, que apresentou um decréscimo significativo nos valores dos limites de escoamento e de resistência e do alongamento com o aumento da temperatura. Na temperatura ambiente, os ensaios de fadiga de baixo e alto ciclo foram realizados segundo as normas ASTM E606 e ASTM E466. Em temperaturas superiores, as propriedades de fadiga foram estimadas utilizando alguns métodos atualmente disponíveis, que utilizam somente as propriedades mecânicas de tração. Os resultados obtidos mostraram uma pequena influência da temperatura na vida à fadiga na região de baixo ciclo e uma grande influência na região de alto ciclo. A curva tensão-deformação cíclica do material foi obtida pelo método convencional e pelo método do passo incrementai, que utiliza somente um corpo de prova. Os ensaios de JIC foram realizados nas temperaturas ambiente e 150°C, segundo a norma ASTM E813, utilizando a técnica de variação da flexibilidade elástica. Na temperatura ambiente, foi observada uma grande dispersão nos valores obtidos de JIC, atribuída à presença de uma fase frágil, identificada como precipitados de carbonitretos mistos de ferro, cromo, manganês e nióbio. Foi também observada uma diminuição no valor médio de JIC com o aumento da temperatura. / In the present work, the low and high cycle fatigue and fracture toughness properties of a Cr-Mn-N austenitic stainless steel used for application in drill collars were investigated. Also, the temperarure dependence of the tensile properties was determined, and it was found that the yield strength, ultimate strength and elongation values decrease significantly with the temperature. The low and high cycle fatigue testing were carried out at room temperature according to ASTM E606 and ASTM E466 standards. At high temperarure, the fatigue properties were estimated from monotonic propetties obtained in the tensile testing. The results showed small influence of temperature in the fatigue life in the short-life range and great influence in the long-life range. The cyclic stress-strain curve was obtained by companion specimen tests and incremental step tests methods. The last method showed to be advantageous because only one specimen and short testing time were required. The fracture toughness was detennined at room temperature and at 150°C applying elastic-plastic fracture mechanics concepts. The single specimen elastic compliance technique for crack length determination was employied. At room temperature a great scattering of the JIC values was observed due the presence of the brittle phase identified as a precipitates of carbonitride content Fe, Cr, Mn, Nb elements. Also a decreasing of average value o f the JIC was observed with the increasing of temperature.

L’Inconel 718 est utilisé dans les disques de turbine des moteurs d’avion, de par sa haute résistance à la corrosion, à l’oxydation, au fluage et sa haute résistance mécanique à très haute température. Le nombre total de cycles de ces composants mécaniques s’élève à 109~1010 durant sa vie. Ils subissent des chargements de grande amplitude à faible fréquence, comme les forces centrifuges ou les contraintes thermiques mais aussi des chargements de faibles amplitudes à très haute fréquence, du aux vibrations des pales. Dans ce travail, on se propose d’étudier la fatigue à très grand nombre de cycles (VHCF) de l’Inconel 718 en utilisant des machines de fatigue ultrasonique, fonctionnant à 20KHz. Le système d’acquisition utilise des cartes NI et le logiciel LabView pour superviser la fréquence, la température, les déplacements durant toute la durée des tests. Des capteurs laser Keyence utilisant deux sondes pour les faces supérieure et inférieure de l’éprouvette permettent de capturer la fréquence et les modes de vibration. La différence entre les valeurs moyennes mesurées permet d’accéder à l’allongement de l’éprouvette, dû à l’auto-échauffement.3 types de matériaux avec différents traitements thermiques, AR, DA et DAHQ de l’ONERA et SAFRAN sont comparés. La différence au niveau de la taille de grain, de la phase, des précipités, … est analysée par micrographie métallographique en utilisant un microscope optique (MO) et un microscope électronique à balayage (MEB). Le comportement en traction quasi-statique et sous chargement cyclique contrainte-déformation est aussi proposé. La transition entre durcissement et adoucissement cyclique apparait à l’issue du traitement thermique. Finalement, les surfaces de ruptures sont observées en utilisant des caméras optiques et un MEB afin d’identifier les mécanismes de ruptures de l’Inconel 718 dans le domaine de la fatigue à très grand nombre de cycles. / Inconel 718 is widely used in turbine disk of aeronautic engines, due to its high resistance to corrosion, oxidation, thermal creep deformation and high mechanical strength at elevated temperature. The total cycle of these mechanical components is up to 109~1010 during its whole lifetime. It endures high-amplitude low-frequency loading including centrifugal force or thermal stress, and also low-amplitude high-frequency loading came from vibration of blade.In this work, the very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) behaviour of Inconel 718 with self-heating phenomenon without any cooling is studied using ultrasonic fatigue system at 20KHz. Acquisition system is improved using NI capture card with LabView for monitoring the frequency, temperature, displacement and so on during all the tests. Keyence laser sensor with two probes at the top and bottom surfaces of the specimens is used to reveal the frequency and vibration mode. The difference of mean values between these two probes is the elongation of the specimen caused by self-heating phenomenon.Three sets of materials with different heat treatment, As-Received (AR), Directly Aged (DA) and Directly Aged High Quality (DAHQ) from ONERA and SAFRAN are compared. The difference of grain size, phase, precipitate particle, etc. is investigated by metallographic micrograph using optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Quasi-static uniaxial tensile property and cyclic stress-strain response is also proposed. The transition from cyclic hardening to cyclic softening appears after aged heat treatment. Finally, fracture surfaces are observed using optical camera and scanning electron microscope in order to identify the mechanism of fracture of Inconel 718 in the VHCF domain.