Interim Project Presentation

Fretting Fatigue Analysis In Dovetail Joint Of

Compressor Through Numerical Simulation
Malay Kumar Kheto
BSB0907002, FT07
M. Sc. (Engg.) in Rotating Machinery Design

Academic Guides :
Dr. N.C. Mahendra Babu
Professor, MSRSAS
Mr. Madan J.
Project Engineer, MSRSAS
M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies

Overview of Presentation
Aim and Objectives of Project
Methodology
Introduction
Literature Review
2D Geometric Modeling and Meshing
Evaluation of Stress concentrated Area
Grid Independence Study
3D Geometric Modeling and Meshing
References

M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies

Aim and Objectives of The Project

Aim: To carry out fretting fatigue analysis in dovetail blade root of
gas turbine compressor blade through finite element simulation
Objectives:
To review the literature on fretting fatigue, analytical models
related to fretting fatigue analysis, fretting fatigue at dovetail joint
of compressor blades.
To develop a 3D FE model of compressor blade and disc
attachment establishing contact surfaces at the dovetail joint.
To carry out stress analysis at the contact regions to determine
possible stress singular region leading to crack initiation.
To carry out FEA analysis with an introduced fretting fatigue crack
at the identified location and to determine the stress intensity range
(k) at the crack tip.
To determine fretting fatigue life using the value of (k) using
appropriate fretting fatigue model.
M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies

Methodology
Review literature on numerical and experimental analysis of
fretting fatigue in compressor blades by referring reviewed
journals, books and related documents.
Various analytical models related to fretting fatigue analysis of
compressor blade will be studied.
The geometric details and material properties for the disc and
blade assembly of dovetail attachment will be obtained.
A 2D FE model of the dovetail joint will be developed to carry
out FE analysis.
The results obtained from 2D FE analysis will be validated
comparing it with experimental results.
A 3D CAD modelling of compressor blade and disc attachment
will be carried out using CATIA V5 R16.
The 3D CAD model will be converted to FE model using
ANSYS-11.0 and Hypermesh-7.0.
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Methodology Contd..
The state of stress in the contact regions of blade and disc
assembly will be predicted through FE simulation.
The stress singular region which leads to crack initiation will
be identified from the results obtained from the previous step.
FE model of the dovetail joint with the introduction of crack
will be developed.

FE analysis will be carried out to arrive at stress intensity

range (k) at the crack tip.

Fretting fatigue life will be evaluated using the value of (k)

with the help of different analytical models.

The results from different analytical model are compared and

the suitable model for dovetail joint will be identified.
M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies

Introduction
The dovetail joint in gas turbine is one of the several examples, which commonly fail due
to fretting fatigue.

This component is subjected to high cycle fatigue (HCF) condition that involves high
frequencies and vibrational loads.
This is especially apparent in compressor blade/disk interface where high contact stresses
and short oscillations are involved. This leads to fretting wear and ultimately component
failure.
The figure shows the typical configuration of dovetail joint in gas turbine compressor.

M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies

Literature Review
L.Chambon and B.Journet [7] have developed the stress based fatigue
criteria using the crack analogue concept to deal with crack initiation
due to fretting fatigue. LEFM principles are used to assess fretting
fatigue life. The qualitative effects of the normal and tangential loads on
fretting fatigue performance have been quantified. The influence of
residual stresses or contact size on the evolution of fretting fatigue
cracks has been quantified. Finally the predicted and experimental
fatigue life is compared.
Yoshiharu Mutoh and Jin-Quan Xu [8] have carried out a research work
for evaluating fretting fatigue life and strength employing fracture
mechanics approach. The authors have also proposed a new approach
based on a singular stress field near the contact edge to find out a
fretting fatigue life. The new approach consists of directions of crack
initiation, propagation and as well as to estimate the fretting fatigue life.
The new fracture mechanics approach is the evaluation of fretting
fatigue life with the use of stress intensity factor.

M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies

Literature Review Contd..

M. Helmi Attia [9] has developed a fracture mechanics model to estimate the
fretting fatigue strength and the service life of structural components. A three
dimensional interface element was developed to model the constitutive laws of
the interface. The model was validated with the experimental results. It was
concluded that the prediction of the fretting fatigue limit was found to be in
excellent agreement with the experimental results.
A.Kermanpur et al. [4] have analysed the failure mechanism of Ti6Al4V
compressor blades of an industrial gas turbine experimentally and numerically.
Mechanical and metallurgical properties of the blade alloy were evaluated. Microfractography was performed on the surface of the samples. The results showed no
metallurgical and mechanical deviations for the blade materials from standards. It
was concluded that the failure has occurred due to tight contact between the blade
root and the disk in the dovetail region as well as low wear resistance of the blade
root.

M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies

Literature Review Contd..

R.Rajasekaran and D.Nowell [10] have carried out a fatigue experiment
which is capable of simulating the loading experienced by a dovetail blade
root in an aircraft gas turbine. The loadings experienced by dovetail blade
root are centrifugal loading, disk expansion force and blade vibrations. A
semi-analytical approach, where the dovetail is approximated as a flat and
round contact under half plane assumptions has been adopted. The effect
of friction coefficient on the fatigue behaviour of the joint has been
predicted. The results show that high friction coefficients are more likely to
fatigue in the geometry.
V.T.Troshchenko and A.V.Prokopenko [11] have carried out an
experimental procedure to investigate the fatigue and crack growth
resistance of real compressor blades. The influence of manufacturing
residual stresses and surface defects in the form of dents, corrosion pits, and
nonmetallic inclusions on the fatigue strength of steels and titanium alloy
have been considered during experiment. The effect of the medium (sea
water) and stress ratio in a cycle, and the fatigue strength of blades on the
material crack growth have been studied.
M.S.Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies

Literature Review Contd..

P.J.Golden, and J.R.Calcaterra [12] have conducted laboratory
experiments to predict the crack growth life for dovetail fretting fatigue
using fracture mechanics approach. The experiments included the contact
loads and bulk stress calculated from the finite element method as inputs to
the stress and life analysis. The crack propagation life was calculated from
an assumed initial crack size. It was concluded that crack propagation
consumes a majority of the total life.
M.M.I. Hammouda et al. [13] have carried out finite element analysis to
predict probable sites of fretting fatigue cracking in axial dovetail joints of
an aero-engine compressor. The analysis consists of the interface frictional
behaviour, the plasticity induced and the possible fretting fatigue crack
initiation in the dovetail joint. Fatigue surface cracks were assumed likely to
initiate in regions of cyclic plasticity along the plane which experienced the
maximum shear stress range. It was concluded that the state of stress and
strain was found multi-axial and non-proportional everywhere within the
model.

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Literature Review Contd..

P.Papanikos et al. [14] have carried out 3D non-linear finite element analysis
of the dovetail region in aero-engine compressor disc assemblies using contact
elements. The main focus of the analysis was to study the effect of critical
geometrical features, such as flank length, flank angle, fillet radii and skew
angle upon the resulting stress field. Frictional conditions at the interface
between the disc and the blade were also examined.

Lucjan Witek [15] carried out failure analysis of the turbine disc of an
aero engine. A non linear finite element analysis was utilized to
determine the stress state of the disc/blade segment under operating
conditions. It was shown that the high stress zones were found at the
region of the lower fir-tree slot, where the failure occurred. The main
focus of this study was to understand the mechanisms of damage of the
turbine disc

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Summary of Literature Review

The fretting fatigue mechanism is the main cause of several premature failures
of Ti6Al4V compressor blades.
The high level of stress at the contact surface can be due to the insufficient
clearance between the blade root and the disk in the dovetail joint which can
initiate several cracks that leads to the complete failure of the blade.
The maximum stress concentration occurs at and just below the lower contact
point between the blade and disk.
The high Friction coefficients are more likely to lead to fatigue failure.
The initiation of fatigue cracks in blades is greatly influenced by residual
stresses induced by their mechanical treatment and by surface defects of the
type of non-metallic inclusions, corrosion pits, and dents.
Aero-engine turbine discs basically have three critical regions on which
attention should be focused: the dovetail rim area, the assembly holes and the
hub zone.
The first critical area, which is more prone to failure, is located on the corner of
the third lower slot of the fir-tree type dovetail rim region of the disc, where the
maximum stress was observed.
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Geometric Modeling
The 2D analysis has been conducted using the plane
stress concept. In view of disc symmetry, only one
sector of the disc was modeled which is shown in figure
below.

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Full view of Blade and Disc

Disc and dovetail geometry of model

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Base Model

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Loads and Boundary Conditions

Master nodes
Coupling Constraints

Contact regions

Slave nodes

Symmetry Boundary
conditions

Symmetry Boundary
conditions

Radial Constraints
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2D Finite Element Model

A mapped meshing is employed using eight noded
quadrilateral plane stress element.

At the contact region very fine mesh is employed to

capture the stress concentration.
The point-to-point contact is used at the contact
region using contact-12 element.
The blade and disc are discretised such that the
nodes and elements at the common boundary match in
number and in position.

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2D FE Model

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Material Properties
The material of the blade and disc considered is Titanium
alloy (Ti-6Al-4V).
The Properties of the Ti-6Al-4V are given in the Table
below.
Material : Ti-6Al-4V

Youngs Modulus : 114 Gpa

Poissons ratio : 0.33
Density : 4429 Kg/m3

Yield Stress : 930 Mpa

Ultimate Stress : 965 Mpa
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Grid Independence Study

Total No of
Elements: 6611
Max. Von-Mises
stress 809 Mpa.

Detailed
view
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Total No of Elements: 9515

Detailed View
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Total No of Elements : 9515

Max. Von-Mises
stress 824 Mpa

Detailed View
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Total No of
Elements: 10979

Max. Von Mises

Stress 825 Mpa

Detailed view
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Summary of Grid Independence Study

Rpm

Total elements

Total nodes

20000

6611

6848

Max_Equivalent(Mpa) %Error in equivalent stress

809
1.82038835

20000

9515

9777

824
0.121212121

20000

10979

11253

825

From the above table it is shown that the variation of

max. equivalent stress with the total no of grids is very less,
So it could be concluded that the variation of results with
the grid changes is negligible.
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Selection of Design Rpm

Von-Mises Stress
at 16000 rpm

Von-Mises Stress
at 18000 rpm

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Von-Mises Stress at
19000 rpm

Von-Mises Stress
at 20000 rpm

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Von-Mises Stress at
22000 rpm

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F.O.S at Different Rpm

Rpm omega (rad/sec)

max_ultimate (Mpa)

max_yield (Mpa)

max_Equiva(Mpa)

965.00

930.00

527.00

1.764705882 1.831119545

18000 1884.95559215

965.00

930.00

668.00

1.392215569 1.444610778

19000 1989.67534727

965.00

930.00

744.00

20000

2094.3951024

965.00

930.00

824.00

1.128640777 1.171116505

22000

2303.8346126

965.00

930.00

998.00

0.931863727 0.966933868

16000

1675.5160819

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fos_yield

1.25

fos_ultimate

1.297043011

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Rpm Vs Yield F.O.S

Rpm Vs Ultimate F.O.S

2

1.5
1

Series1

0.5

Ultimate F.O.S

Yield F.O.S

1.5
1

Series1

0.5
0

0
0

5000

10000 15000 20000 25000

Rpm

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

Rpm

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3D Finite Element Model

3D Mesh Model

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Loadings and Boundary Conditions

Coupling
Constraints

Symmetry
Constraints

Radial constraints
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Project Status and Pending work

Literature

review is under progress.

Analytical models available in the literature are reviewed.

2D geometric and FE model of dovetail joint have been

created.
The stress concentrated areas in 2D analysis have been
found out.
3D geometric and FE model have been created.
3D FE model with crack is to be generated.

FE analysis to determine the stress intensity range has to

be carried out.
Fretting fatigue life of dovetail joint has to be determined.
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Gantt Chart
Activity week

10

11

12

13

14

15 16 17

18 19 20 21

22

Pre-Project presentation
Literature review
Study of various analytical models
Creation of 2D geometric model of dovetail joint

Creation of 2D FE model of dovetail joint

Validation of results
Creation of 3D geometric model of compressor blade
and disc attachment

Interim review

Creation 3D FE model of compressor blade and disc

attachment

FE analysis of state of stress in contact regions

Development of 3D FE model with the introduction of
crack
FE analysis to determine the stress intensity range (
k)
Evaluating fretting fatigue life of different analytical
models

Determining fretting fatigue life of dovetail joint

Preparation of draft copy for final dissertation

Final presentation

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References
[3] D.Nowell et all., Recent Development in the Understandings of Fretting
Fatigue, Engineering fracture Mechanics, V 73, 2006, PP 207-222.
[4] A.Kermanpur et al., Failure analysis of Ti6Al4V Gas Turbine Compressor
Blades, Engineering failure analysis, V 15, 2008, PP 1052-1064.
[5] J.R.Beisheim and G.B.Sinclair, Three Dimensional finite Element Analysis of
Dovetail Attachments With and Without Crowning, Journal of Turbomachinery, V
130, 2008, PP 021012-1-8.
[7] L.chambon and B.Journet, Modelling of Fretting Fatigue in a Fracture Mechanics
framework, Tribology International , V 39, 2006, PP 1220-1226.
[8] Yoshiharu Mutoh and Jin-quan Xu, Fracture Mechanics approach to Fretting
Fatigue and Problems to be solved, Tribology International, V 36, 2003, PP 99-107.
[9] M.Helmi Attia, Prediction of Fretting fatigue Behaviour of Metals Using a
fracture Mechanics approach With special Consideration to the Contact problem,
Journal of Tribology, Vol 127, 2005, PP 685-693.

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References Contd...
[10] R.Rajasekaram and D.Nowell, Fretting Fatigue in dovetail Blade Roots: Experiment and
Analysis, Tribology International, V 39, 2006, PP 1277-1285.
[11] V.T.Troshchenko and A.V.Prokopenko, Fatigue Strength of Gas Turbine Compressor
Blades, Engineering Failure Analysis, V 7, 2000, PP 209-220.
[12] P.J.Golden, J.R.Calcaterra, A Fracture Mechanics Life Prediction Methodology Applied
to Dovetail Fretting, Tribology International, V 39, 2006, PP 1172-1180.
[13] M.M.I Hammouda et al.,Modelling of Cracking sites/development in axial Dovetail
Joints of Aero-Engine Compressor Discc, International Journal of fatigue, Vol 29, 2007, PP
30-48.
[14] P.Papanikos et al., Three-Dimansional Nonlinear Finite element analysis of Dovetail
Joints in Aero-Engine disc, Finite Elements in analysis and Design, V 29, 1998, PP 173-186.
[15] Lucjan witek, Failure Analysis of Turbine Discs of An Aero-Engine, Engineering failure
Analysis, V 13, 2006, PP 9-17.

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Thank You

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