Failure behaviour of the superalloy MAR-M247 LC under LCF, HCF and combined LCF/HCF loading

Materials for turbine blades experience in service a combined loading of low and high cycle fatigue at high temperatures. In order to understand the failure behaviour under these loading conditions, systematic investigations were carried out. Low cycle fatigue, high cycle fatigue and combined low and high cycle fatigue tests were realised on MAR-M247 LC at 650 degrees C in an air environment under total strain control. Surface damage and fracture surfaces were analysed. Under combined low and high cycle fatigue, the lifetime is reduced if the low cycle fatigue leads to a degradation of the high cycle fatigue strength caused by crack initiation and crack growth. By analysing the fracture surface, the crack growth rate under combined cycle fatigue loading could be determined and it was significantly higher than under pure low cycle fatigue loading. The accelerated crack growth mainly causes the lifetime reduction.