The reliability of a gas or steam turbine is strongly dependent on the blade structural design.  Turbine blades are subjected to very strenuous environments such as high temperatures, high stresses, and a potentially high vibration environment. To avoid blade failures, they must be designed to withstand these conditions. 

Computational simulation is commonly used to predict the failure conditions for a given blade design, and accurate modeling and material properties are essential to produce realistic results. FEA is a powerful tool for estimating blade stresses, and the addition of design process automation and optimization tools allows optimal designs to be achieved in a reasonable amount of time.

In this Technology Brief, we show how Abaqus and Isight tools can be used for this task.