In this paper, a novel method for high temperature fatigue strength assessment of nickel superalloy turbine blades after operation at different times (303 and 473 h) was presented. The studies included destructive testing (fatigue testing at temperature 950 °C under cyclic bending load), non-destructive testing (Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection and Eddy Current method), and finite element modelling. High temperature fatigue tests were performed within load range from 5200 to 6600 N using a special self-designed blade grip attached to the conventional testing machine. The experimental results were compared with the finite element model generated from the ANSYS software. It was found that failure of turbine blades occurred in the area with the highest stress concertation, which was accurately predicted by the finite element (FE) model.

The aim of this article is to propose methods for obtaining the aerodynamic characteristics of a flying object in a turbulent atmosphere. This article presents static aerodynamic characteristics of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which have been obtained during experimental examinations and during numerical calculations. The results have been compared with each other in order to validate the numerical model and methods. The method for modeling gusts using state-of-the-art CFD software (i.e., ANSYS Fluent Release 16.2) has been proposed and applied to obtain the aerodynamic characteristics of a UAV including during gusts. Two cases have been analyzed. In the first case, a downburst was modeled. In the second case, a single oblique gust was modeled (i.e., changing the angle of attack and the angle of sideslip), that had a complicated time course in regard to its velocity. Although this article is focused on the assessment of the vulnerability of a UAV model to gusts, the practical implications of the proposed methodology are applicable to a wide selection of objects, including wind turbines.

This article presents the issues of control and quality assurance of high-strength railway rail joints. Selected test results and requirements for rail joints made by welding with stationary welders on the basis of the requirements included in the PN-EN standards have been described. In addition, destructive and non-destructive tests of weld quality were performed, including visual tests, geometrical measurements of irregularities, magnetic particle and penetration tests, fracture tests, observations of micro- and macro-structure and hardness measurements. The scope of these studies included conducting tests, monitoring the process and evaluating the results obtained. Laboratory tests on the rail joints confirmed the good quality of the rail joints from the welding shop. Increasingly less damage to the track in places of new welded joints is proof that the methodology of laboratory qualification tests is correct and fulfils its task. The presented research will help educate engineers on the welding mechanism and the importance of quality control of rail joints during their design. The results of this study are of key importance for public safety and will improve knowledge on the correct implementation of the rail joint and how to conduct quality control tests in accordance with the requirements of the currently applicable standards. It will help engineers choose the right welding technique and choose solutions to minimize cracks.

An automated CAD/CAE integration system for the parametric design of aircraft wing structures

In recent years, morphing wings have become not only a concept, but an aerodynamic solution for the aviation industry to take a step forward toward future technologies. However, continuously morphing airfoils became an interesting answer to provide green energy solutions. In this paper, the authors conducted experimental research on a continuously camber-morphing airfoil using the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods. The main objective of this work was to research a variety of morphing airfoils with different camber deflections. An average velocity distribution and turbulence distribution were compared and are discussed. The two-dimensional PIV results were compared to the CFD simulations to validate the numerical method’s accuracy and obtain the aerodynamic coefficient’s trends. A further comparison revealed that morphing airfoils have better aerodynamic performance than conventional airfoils for very low camber deflections and create substantial amounts of drag for significant camber deflections.