Advanced Experimental and Simulation Methodologies for Metallic Aero-Engine Components under Extreme Loading

The design of aero-engine components is crucial to advancing the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of aircraft in modern aviation. With growing global demand for high-performance and eco-friendly engines, understanding the behaviour of metallic components under extreme loading is essential. This research focuses on improving the accuracy of simulations for critical metallic components in aero-engines, particularly in scenarios involving fan or compressor blade release events.

Enhanced simulations will lead to safer designs, reducing weight, cost, and risk, while aligning with the industry's push for sustainability. This work, in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, has significant potential to advance both academic research and industrial practices in the field of aero-engine design.

The primary goal of this project is to develop advanced experimental and computational methodologies to better understand and predict the behaviour of metallic aero-engine components under complex dynamic loading conditions. The key objectives include:

1. Development of New Specimen Designs: Create innovative specimen geometries that accurately capture the complex, dynamic stress states in aero-engine components.

2. Improvement of Existing Designs: Enhance current specimen designs to improve the efficiency of testing under dynamic conditions.

3. Investigation of Path Dependence in Plastic Flow: Study the effects of various loading paths on the plastic deformation of titanium alloys to gain deeper insights into their behaviour under complex stresses.

4. Examination of Hardening and Failure Mechanisms: Perform a comprehensive study of how titanium alloys behave beyond the yield point, contributing to improved durability predictions under extreme dynamic loading.

5. Validation of Constitutive Models: Use experimental data to validate advanced constitutive models developed, ensuring accurate prediction of material behaviour under extreme conditions.

This research is distinguished by its novel use of the Tension-Torsion Hopkinson Bar (TTHB) system to replicate complex dynamic loading scenarios, involving both tension and torsion. This unique experimental setup enables the precise generation of stress states experienced by metallic components during blade impact and release events in aero-engines.

Additionally, by employing advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) alongside these experiments, this research allows for comprehensive comparisons between experimental data and computational predictions. This dual approach not only enhances model validation but also identifies potential areas for improvement in simulation accuracy, contributing significantly to the field of aero-engine design.

This project falls within the EPSRC "Materials engineering - metals and alloys" research area, directly aligning with the council's goal of advancing aerospace technologies through innovative research and collaboration with industry leaders such as Rolls-Royce. The work also supports EPSRC's broader "engineering net zero" strategy to foster sustainability and efficiency in engineering disciplines, as it focuses on de-risking expensive tests, reducing material use, and improving the overall performance of aero-engines.

The project is conducted in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, which provides industrial insights and validation opportunities. Professor Daniel Eakins and Dr Simone Falco from the University of Oxford serve as the project's academic supervisors, offering expertise in dynamic material testing and simulation methodologies. This partnership ensures that the research maintains both academic rigour and industrial relevance.