Analysis and Modeling of Erosion in Gas-Turbine Grade Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs)

A significant barrier to the insertion of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials into advanced aircraft engines is their inherent lack of toughness under erosion and post erosion. Our team will develop and demonstrate a physics-based model for erosion/post erosion of CMC’s at room and elevated temperatures (RT/ET). The ICME (Integrated Computational Material Engineering) Physics based Multi Scale Models will predict: a) factors affecting erosion in CMC; b) High temperature erosion; c) thermal history of erodent event; d) mechanical properties at elevated temperature considering effect of defects and f) erosion condition of CMC material and coating. The model will incorporate Erosion Morphology (matrix, tunneling erosion arrests, fiber layers erode), damage and fracture evolution associated with erosion parameters at macro and micro levels for different size and erodent material type and shape as well as particle velocity range. The model will be incorporated into our commercial Multi-scale progressive failure analysis software that integrates commercial FEA and enhances their accuracy limitation. Two different CMC (SiC/SiC, Oxide/Oxide) systems at ET will be rig tested to guide the analysis, supported by Acoustic Emission/Electrical Resistance monitoring and damage assessment and health monitoring. Phase II will perform ET rig test of CMC with EBC and TBC coating.