Paper Titles
Fatigue Life Evaluation of a Medium Dump Truck Frame under the Random Road Profile Excitation
p.45
Input Parameter Analysis for Low-Cycle Multiaxial Fatigue Models Using Artificial Neural Network
p.59
Fretting Fatigue and Crack Initiation Analysis of 42CrMo4+QT and 34CrNiMo6+QT Steels
p.71
Transforming Fatigue Life Prediction in Additive Manufacturing: Synergies of Surrogate Modeling, Transfer Learning, and Bayesian Inference
p.85
Fatigue Regime Transition in Pelton Turbines: From Low-Stress/High-Cycle to High-Stress/Low-Cycle and its Impact on Structural Integrity
p.93
Beyond S-N Curves: A Residual Stress-Driven Approach to Fatigue
p.107
Influence of Reinforcement Breakage on Tractive Capacity of Composite Elastomer-Cable Tractive Element
p.127
Experimental Study on Spent Garnets for Fine Grain Aggregate a Partial Substitution in Cement Based Mortars: Validation of Preliminary Research
p.145
Influence of Bitumen Consistency and Structure on its Deformation Behavior during Glass Transition
p.161

Fatigue Regime Transition in Pelton Turbines: From Low-Stress/High-Cycle to High-Stress/Low-Cycle and its Impact on Structural Integrity

Article Preview

Abstract:

This study presents a detailed analysis of the catastrophic failure of a Pelton turbine bucket, revealing a complex mechanism involving multiple interacting factors. Through a root cause analysis (RCA), the primary crack was identified to have originated in a high-stress concentration zone, exacerbated by pre-existing discontinuities. The turbine runner had accumulated approximately 90,000 service hours, suggesting a low-stress, high-cycle fatigue as the initial damage mechanism. However, the rapid crack propagation was driven by an abrupt shift in the fatigue regime, transitioning to high-stress, low-cycle fatigue induced by severe impact loads during counter-jet entry. This phenomenon led to the fracture of the bucket segment. This work emphasizes the importance of considering the synergistic interaction of accumulated fatigue, pre-existing discontinuities, and changes in the loading regime in the design and maintenance of Pelton turbines, to prevent premature failures and ensure the structural integrity of these critical components.

You might also be interested in these eBooks
Building Materials, Structural Metal Processing, Fatigue Analysis View Preview

Info:

Periodical:

Key Engineering Materials (Volume 1035)

Pages:

93-106

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4028/p-mfdU3F

Citation:

Cite this paper

Online since:

December 2025

Authors:

Alejandro Morales-Ortiz*, Camilo Seifert, Sebastian Acuña, Andres Felipe Duque, Daniel Hincapie

Keywords:

Fatigue Crack Propagation, Fracture Mechanics, High-Stress Fatigue, Low-Stress Fatigue, Pelton Turbine, Service Life

Export:

RIS, BibTeX

Price:

Permissions CCC:

Request Permissions

Permissions PLS:

Request Permissions

Сopyright:

© 2025 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Share:

Citation:

* - Corresponding Author

References

[1] X. Gao, G. Koval, and C. Chazallon, "A Discrete Element Model for Damage and Fatigue Crack Growth of Quasi-Brittle Materials," Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng., vol. 2019, p.1–15, Feb. 2019.

DOI: 10.1155/2019/6962394

Google Scholar

[2] J. Arakawa, T. Hanaki, Y. Hayashi, H. Akebono, and A. Sugeta, "Effect of surface compressive residual stress introduced by surface treatment on fatigue properties of metallic material," MATEC Web Conf., vol. 165, p.18006, 2018.

DOI: 10.1051/matecconf/201816518006

Google Scholar

[3] W. Schütz, "A history of fatigue," Eng. Fract. Mech., 1996.

Google Scholar

[4] J. Moser and A. P. L. do Rosário, "Improving Hydropower Plant Efficiency by Applying a Digital Twin Model," Energies, vol. 15, no. 19, 7306, Oct. 2022.

Google Scholar

[5] M. A. E. El-Sayed, "Optimization of Hydropower Plant Efficiency: A Review," Journal of Energy Systems, vol. 11, no. 1, pp.27-40, Mar. 2017.

Google Scholar

[6] T. R. Adhikari, M. K. Kandel, and K. L. Bajracharya, "Hydropower Plant Efficiency Enhancement through Predictive Maintenance and Smart Grid Integration," in 2020 IEEE International Conference on Smart Grid and Clean Energy Technologies (SmartGridCleanEnergy), pp.1-6, Nov. 2020.

Google Scholar

[7] D.S. Gashaw and T. H. Abeje, "Analysis of Fatigue Crack Propagation and Life Estimation of Pelton Turbine Bucket by Finite Element Method," Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology (M.Sc. Thesis), 2017.

DOI: 10.36868/ejmse.2024.09.02.093

Google Scholar

[8] M.A.E. El-Sayed and H. M. S. El-Said, "Failure analysis of a Pelton impeller," Engineering Failure Analysis, vol. 18, no. 1, pp.278-285, Jan. 2011.

Google Scholar

[9] J.R. Iriarte, J. L. A. Marín, and M. A. A. González, "Failure investigation of a Pelton turbine runner," in Procedia Engineering, vol. 10, pp.1957-1962, 2011.

Google Scholar

[10] K.L. Roe and T. Siegmund, "An irreversible cohesive zone model for interface fatigue crack growth simulation," Eng. Fract. Mech., 2003.

DOI: 10.1016/s0013-7944(02)00034-6

Google Scholar

[11] A. Carpinteri and M. Paggi, "A unified interpretation of the power laws in fatigue and the analytical correlations between cyclic properties of engineering materials," Int. J. Fatigue, 2009.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2009.04.014

Google Scholar

[12] M. H. El Haddad, K. N. Smith, and T. H. Topper, "Fatigue Crack Propagation of Short Cracks," J. Eng. Mater. Technol., 2010.

Google Scholar

[13] O. Nguyen, E. A. Repetto, M. Ortiz, and R. A. Radovitzky, "A cohesive model of fatigue crack growth," Int. J. Fract., 2001.

Google Scholar

[14] J.C. Newman, "The merging of fatigue and fracture mechanics concepts: A historical perspective," Prog. Aerosp. Sci., 1998.

Google Scholar

[15] F. Kun, H. A. Carmona, J. S. Andrade, and H. J. Herrmann, "Universality behind Basquin's law of fatigue," Phys. Rev. Lett., (2008)

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.100.094301

Google Scholar

[16] J.R. Rice, "A Path Independent Integral and the Approximate Analysis of Strain Concentration by Notches and Cracks," J. Appl. Mech., 1968.

DOI: 10.21236/ad0653716

Google Scholar

[17] G. P. Cherepanov, "Crack propagation in continuous media: PMM vol. 31, no. 3, 1967, p.476–488," J. Appl. Math. Mech., vol. 31, no. 3, p.503–512, (1967)

DOI: 10.1016/0021-8928(67)90034-2

Google Scholar

[18] S. Suresh, "Fatigue of Materials," Cambridge University Press, 2nd ed., 1998.

Google Scholar

[19] J. A. Bannantine, J. J. Comer, and J. L. Handley, "Fundamentals of Metal Fatigue Analysis," Prentice Hall, 1990.

Google Scholar

[20] H. O. Fuchs and R. I. Stephens, "Metal Fatigue in Engineering," John Wiley & Sons, 2nd ed., 1980.

Google Scholar

[21] P. Paris and F. Erdogan, "A Critical Analysis of Crack Propagation Laws," Journal of Basic Engineering (ASME), vol. 85, no. 4, pp.528-534, Dec. 1963.

DOI: 10.1115/1.3656902

Google Scholar

[22] C. M. Sonsino, "Fatigue Design of Components with Welds and Notches," International Journal of Fatigue, vol. 25, no. 9-11, pp.1145-1153, Sep.-Nov. 2003.

Google Scholar

[23] R. Schütz, "Fatigue life prediction of components with variable amplitude loading," Fatigue & Fracture of Engineering Materials & Structures, vol. 20, no. 8, pp.1109-1121, Aug. 1997.

Google Scholar

[24] Y. Murakami, "Metal Fatigue: Effects of Small Defects and Nonmetallic Inclusions," Elsevier Science, 2nd ed., 2002.

Google Scholar

[25] N. E. Dowling, "Fatigue Life Prediction for Complex Loadings," Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology (ASME), vol. 116, no. 1, pp.58-69, Feb. 1994.

Google Scholar