Experimental Model Validation of an Aero-Engine Casing Assembly

This work presents an experimental model validation of an aero-engine casing assembly. The objective is to show how to perform an experimental model validation of a casing assembly with bolted flanges. One of the major challenges was given by the unknown geometrical dimensions and material properties of the structure at the outset. This goal could be reached by using modal updating so as to identify the best geometrical and material parameters for the model. Experimental testing was a key contributor in this process, since the test data were used to benchmark the updating process. The updating process highlighted that the model could not be correctly updated until the joints were included. Therefore, the FE model required to be upgraded, by inclusions of joint flexibility, before it could be updated. This paper will present both the upgrading-updating process and the experimental testing carried out on the casing assembly.