Abstract
Turbine blade is subject to force of three types ; the torsional force by torsional mount, the centrifugal force by the rotation of rotor and the cyclic bending force by steam pressure. The cyclic bending force was a main factor on fatigue strength. SEM fractography in root of turbine blade showed micro-clack width was not dependent on stress intensity factor range. Especially, fatigue did not exist on SEM photograph in root of turbine blade. To clear out the fracture mechanism of turbine blade, nanofractography was needed on 3-dimensional crack initiation and crack growth with high magnification. Fatigue striation partially existed on AFM photograph in root of turbine blade. Therefore, to find a fracture mechanism of the torsion-mounted blade in nuclear power plant, the relation between stress intensity factor range and surface roughness measured by AFM was estimated, and then the load amplitude ΔP applied to turbine blade was predicted exactly by root mean square roughness.