Author(s): Jianqiang Wang; Shuaikang Zhang; Min Zhou; Xun Sun; Chen-Jun Yang
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Ice-class propeller; Fatigue test; S-N curve; 0Cr13Ni4Mo stainless steel; Finite element simulation
Abstract: To investigate the fatigue performence of ice-class propeller under ice-covered waters, a systematic experimental study was carried out on an ice-class propeller blade model made of 0Cr13Ni4Mo stainless steel. A dedicated fixture and a spherical loading scheme were designed to ensure safe and stable loading of the blade. Based on fatigue life data obtained from the fatigue testing machine and the maximum stress on the blade derived from finite element simulations, the fatigue performance of the blade under different stress levels was obtained, and the S-N curve was fitted. The results show that fatigue cracks in the blades all initiated at the stress concentration zone of the blade root, with fatigue lives ranging from 6.7×104 to 2.5×106 cycles. The failure locations in the simulations and experiments are in good agreement, validating the effectiveness of the experimental method. This study establishes a fatigue testing methodology suitable for ice-class propellers and completes the fatigue performance tests, providing a reference for blade design and safety assessment in extreme environments.
Year: 2026