PROBABILISTIC FATIGUE LIFE SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF TITANIUM ROTORS

The application of probabilistic methods to the life prediction of fatigue vulnerable structures is becoming increasingly important. In-service inspection and repair/replacement can be an effective strategy for decreasing fatigue failure probability. However, inspection introduces additional random variables that must be considered in an overall lifetime reliability assessment. In this study, a methodology is illustrated to assess the influences of changes in the main descriptors of fatigue related random variables on the lifetime failure probability of an aircraft titanium rotor disk. The methodologies can be used for the development of reliability-based optimal design and maintenance strategies for fatigue vulnerable structures subject to in-service inspection.