Finite element study of the effect of internal cracks on surface profile change due to low loading of turbine blade

Turbine blades for thermal power plants are exposed to severe environments, making it necessary to ensure safety against damage, such as crack formation. A previous method detected internal cracks by applying a small load to a target member. Changes in the surface properties of the material were detected before and after the load using a digital holographic microscope and a digital height correlation method. In this study, this technique was applied in combination with finite element analysis using a 2D and 3D model simulating the turbine blades. Analysis clarified that the change in the surface properties under a small load varied according to the presence or absence of a crack, and elucidated the strain distribution that caused the difference in the change. In addition, analyses of the 2D model considering the material anisotropy and thermal barrier coating were conducted. The difference in the change in the surface properties and strain distribution according to the presence or absence of cracks was elucidated. The difference in the change in the top surface height distribution of the materials with and without a crack was directly proportional to the crack length. As the value was large with respect to the vertical resolution of 0.2 nm of the digital holographic microscope, the change could be detected by the microscope.