The fatigue behaviour of a representative high-performance aero-engine spline coupling is investigated under test conditions designed to simulate in-service conditions. The test load cycles consist of major cycle torque and axial load, simulating maximum thrust, combined with minor cycle rotating bending moment and fluctuating torque, simulating life-limiting conditions at take-off. The objective of the study is to develop understanding of the fatigue behaviour of the coupling over a range of loading conditions, including interaction between low-cycle fatigue, fretting fatigue and fretting wear. This information is necessary for the development of fatigue and fretting-fatigue life prediction techniques. The test results are interpreted with the help of three-dimensional finite element models, which include the frictional contact between the spline teeth.
Aeroengine spline couplings experience a wide range of loading conditions leading to contrasting service life limiting phenomena, including fatigue, fretting fatigue and fretting wear. Highly loaded couplings may employ incomplete contact axial profiles, while the contact geometry transverse to the spline axis is nominally complete with theoretical stress singularities at the contact edges. Life assessment of such components is consequently complex. The effect of torque overload conditions on the fatigue life of a barrelled, aeroengine type spline coupling is investigated experimentally. The experimental results are interpreted using three-dimensional finite element analyses, incorporating frictional contact and elastic-plastic material behaviour and the results of simple tension-tension fatigue tests. Torque-life and finite element predicted stress-life relationships are generated for spline life prediction purposes. Good correlation is obtained between the spline coupling and simple tension-tension fatigue test results, interpreted via the finite element predicted stress ranges.
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