Simulated Foreign Object Damage on Blade Aerofoils: Real Damage Investigation

During operating service, gas turbine aero-engines can ingest small hard particles which typically produce damage to the aerofoils. If the damage found is a tear or a perforation at the leading edge, it is known as a Foreign Object Damage or FOD and this leads to a reduction of the subsequent High-Cycle-Fatigue (HCF) strength. The objective of research work in this area is to assess the effect of FOD on the residual fatigue strength of compressor blades and to provide predictive tools for engineering judgment. The methodology followed is normally to carry out experimental simulation of FOD, followed by fatigue tests to assess subsequent performance. To date, research related to fatigue following FOD events has concentrated on HCF loading and the impact geometry is frequently that of a sphere against a flat surface or the edge of a blade-like specimen. Both of these aspects do not correspond to the worst cases of real FOD. Here it is intended to investigate the effect of a V-notch geometry, which is more representative of severe FOD found in service. Alongside this, numerical models can be used to simulate the damage and to evaluate the residual stress field. In addition analytical model are used to predict the residual fatigue strength. The current work explains the development of a new rig impact test and discusses the improvements necessary to obtain a sufficient repeatability of the impacts. From the experience gained with a gas gun, an alternative method using a pistol and a barrel, capable of achieving the necessary velocity of simulated FOD, was developed. The applied velocity was in the range of 250m/s to 300m/s and a technique to describe the impact is here discussed. Furthermore the introduction of a high speed camera has allowed to have a complete description of the impact scene and to better understand the impact. The impacted blades were measured and HCF tested. As a result, this has produced a large scatter in the residual fatigue strength. The current method to describe a notch using a 2D approach, which was applied to several geometries of notches, is here critically reviewed. The proposed method would incorporate a more sophisticated method, which reconstruct the real geometry using optical measurement. This latter measurement can fully describe the 3D geometry, showing particularly zones inside the notch where compressive residual might appears. Tears and shear of the material can also be described by applying this technique. The findings are compared with the residual HCF strength and the results are compared to special cases of HCF to justify the results out of theoretical prediction.