DEVELOPMENT OF A PROBABILISTIC DESIGN SYSTEM FOR GAS TURBINE ROTOR INTEGRITY

摘要

An enhanced fatigue life management process for aircraft turbine engine rotors based on probabilistic damage tolerance methods is currently under development by the engine industry and the FAA, with an initial focus on fatigue cracking at hard alpha (HA) anomalies in titanium rotors. This paper describes that new process and summarizes recent research and development activities to support the process, including experimental investigations into the nucleation and growth of fatigue cracks at embedded HA anomalies and the development of a standardized, probabilistic computer code. The computer code integrates fatigue crack growth life analysis with finite element stress analysis, assumed anomaly distributions, and nondestructive inspection simulation, aided by a sophisticated graphical user interface.