Microstructure and defect informed predictions of damage tolerance and durability of materials and structures, including verification and uncertainty quantification

Polycrystalline materials form the backbone of the structural components within spacecraft vehicles, in which fatigue crack initiation and propagation are the predominate failure mechanisms. Accurate assessments of the probability of fatigue failure is critical to manage uncertainty and mission risk over a vehicles lifecycle. In this work, a generalized, holistic framework to predict microstructural sensitive fatigue crack initiation and small fatigue crack propagation behaviors for a range of polycrystalline materials, loading configurations, and environments is developed. The outcomes of this work will produce next generation prognosis methodologies for material durability and damage tolerance of structural polycrystalline materials, including uncertainty quantification and experimental validation through in situ high energy x-ray diffraction microscopy to develop trust in the model predictions. Two use cases of the predictive model capabilities will be demonstrated, including a (i) Ni-based superalloy subjected to extreme environments based on elevated temperatures and oxidation and (ii) Ti-6Al-4V within a structural components with dimensions of thin web features similar to that of the microstructure.

This project looks at next generation fatigue methods to reduce the reliance on large-scale coupon testing, saving time and cost. Compared to classical approaches, the proposed models accounts for manufacturing defects, microstructure variability, environmentally damage, and component features of similar length-scale as the material’s microstructure. The project provides high fidelity and precise models that will reduce level of mission risk and reliably assess the safety of NASA spacecraft vehicles. The project starts at TRL 1 and will finish at TRL 3

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