Experimental and numerical analysis of the Portevin–Le Chatelier effect in a nickel-base superalloy for turbine disks application

High-pressure turbine disks are subjected to extreme mechanical and thermal loadings throughout their lifetime. This is the reason why during the design of turboshaft engines, regulation rules impose on manufacturers to demonstrate the integrity of rotating parts, especially turbine disks, with over-speed experiments. To improve the prediction of rotation speed at burst, it is essential to study the viscoplastic behavior and the fracture of the material. The present work focuses on the approach used to calibrate accurately a viscoplastic behavior model at high temperature (500 °C) of nickel-based superalloy Inconel718. The experimental testing campaign includes standard tensile tests on axisymmetric and flat specimens with and without notches. The behavior is described using the McCormick model for dynamic strain aging. This model accounts for the viscoplastic behavior including the range of negative strain rate sensitivity and the Portevin–Le Chatelier (PLC) effect. In addition to global measurements, digital image correlation at high temperature using a speckle directly engraved on the specimen is used to detect and measure the strain carried by the PLC bands. This information is used in the parameter calibration. The consideration of the machine stiffness is shown to be essential in the analysis for a correct description of serrations and of the critical strain for PLC effects. 3D simulations on full specimen geometries samples are performed to validate the finite element model. Finally, a full 3D representative disk geometry simulation is performed to detect instabilities and their propagation due to geometrical singularities.