Rolls-royce Corporation

Nicholas S A Cristinacce

Anthony B Phipps

Rotatable discs combined with turbine blades in engines must be tested for critical life analysis. Thus, consideration must be made as to life expectancy for such components as a result of tensile circumferential hoops as generated by the weight of blades under rotation as well as compressive axial stress as a result of thermal gradients during initial warm up. Previous testing arrangements have considered tensile circumferential hoop stress but not compressive axial stress combinations such as 'Von Mises' stress. By provision of bend structuresa bending moment is created about a baseformed in a test componentsuch that a bending moment forcecreates a bending moment in the test component. This bending moment results in a compressive axial stress reminiscent of that in a practical turbine engine disc as a result of initial thermal gradients. In such circumstances a more realistic testing of the componentrepresentative of a practical disc/blade combination is achieved.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Nicholas S A Cristinacce