Evaluation of structural analysis methods for life prediction

The utility of advanced constitutive models and structural analysis methods are evaluated for predicting the cyclic life of an air-cooled turbine blade for a gas turbine aircraft engine. Structural analysis methods of various levels of sophistication were exercised to obtain the cyclic stress-strain response at the critical airfoil location. Calculated strain ranges and mean stresses from the stress-strain cycles were used to predict crack initiation lives by using the total strain version of the strain range partitioning life prediction method. The major results are given and discussed.