Experimental and Analytical Techniques for the Validation of Complex Gas Turbine Engine Rotor Systems

High cycle fatigue (HCF) failure is still a major factor negatively impacting safety, operability, and readiness, while at the same time substantially increasing maintenance costs. The HCF failure of compression and turbine system components is still a major contributor to engine failure events experienced in both development and fielded weapon systems. Although much has been done over the last several years to mitigate HCF though the development, validation and transition of new physics-based HCF tools and testing protocols, escapes to the fleet or changes in operational use have resulted in unexpected HCF fractures of fan, compressor and turbine airfoils. Test Devices and Mechanical Solutions will develop state-of-the-art HCF testing and validation methods by developing a blade multi-point measurement system, coupled with a high-temperature, high-order mode excitation system. These technologies will be integrated and validated in a HCF spin pit test system, to the point that at the end of the Phase II SBIR program a customer could use the new HCF test capability to test & validate a full component.