On impulsive vibration tests of shrouded blade rows

Nicol Bachschmid 1,2, Emanuel Pesatori 2, Simone Bistolfi 2, Michele Ferrante 2, Steven Chatterton 1
1

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via La Masa, 1, I20156, Milan, Italy
nicolo.bachschmid@polimi.it, steven.chatterton@polimi.it,
2
R&D Department, Franco Tosi Meccanica S.p.A., P.zza Monumento 12, I20025, Legnano (MI), Italy
emanuel.pesatori@francotosimeccanica.it, simone.bistolfi@francotosimeccanica.it
michele.ferrante@francotosimeccanica.it

Introduction
In steam turbines either free standing blades or different types of connections between adjacent
blades such as shrouds on the top of the blade, snubbers along the airfoil or lashing wires can be
used, and the blade rows are then called integrally shrouded or interlocked. Shrouded blade rows
are popular due to their good and robust dynamic behaviour, see e.g. [1] and [2]. More in detail,
when the contact force between shrouds and snubbers is huge (due to untwisting of the blades
effected by its huge centrifugal force), and loss of contact and slipping motion are avoided, then the
blades are called interlocked. Another solution is using either riveted shrouds or welded lashing
wires for rigidly connecting packets of several blades. Finally also integral shrouds which are in
sticking/slipping contact each other in order to form a continuous row can be used and are actually
rather popular. In this last case the contact between shrouds can occur either according a planar
surface with a suitable orientation in space (slant shroud), or according two (or three) surfaces with
different orientation (zig-zag shrouds).

Figure 1 left: blades with T-roots and zig-zag shrouds right: 8 blade packet with welded snubbers
and side entry fir tree roots.
The dynamical behaviour is consequently different for the different types of contacts between
blades. But the dynamical behaviour depends also on the type of root, and even more on the
tightness of the contact between rotor and blade root and between shrouds or snubbers: the contact
can be weak or with some clearance in stationary conditions, and can develop as rigid contact at
rated speed due to the huge centrifugal force; sometimes there can be some forcing during the
assembling of the blade row by means of suitable keys pressed in between blade roots and seats, of
by means of some interferences between shrouds (which will be called pre-stressed or pre-twisted
blades). Also the friction which develops between shrouds is assumed to contribute significantly to
vibration reduction in certain operating conditions. In literature in the last decades many studies
have been performed on the damping mechanism due to friction forces developing in surfaces in
contact, see e.g. [3] and [4].

Blade or blade row natural frequency calculation

It seems reasonable to assume that the mutual influence of free standing blades, as well as of groups
of rigidly connected blades, on behalf of the roots and the much stiffer rotor, is negligible. In this
case the natural frequencies can be evaluated modelling only one blade (for free standing blades) or
just one packet of interconnected blades, and the corresponding suitable portion of rotor. Real
contact conditions can be evaluated by means of cumbersome non-linear calculations as result of
centrifugal force application, or more simply linear bonded contact conditions on a reduced contact
area in the roots can be assumed for natural frequency calculations.
Completely different is the situation when continuous blade rows with shrouds and/or snubbers in
contact (but not welded) are analysed. In this case the mutual influence is huge, and the natural
frequencies are spread over all the different row mode shapes, with the different nodal diameters.
For calculating the row mode shapes the linear model of the row can be composed applying cyclic
symmetry to one sector (which could be composed by just one blade), but real (non-linear) contact
conditions must be substituted by equivalent linear spring and damper elements, or by equivalent
linear contact pads, both applied not on the full surface, but only on the small portion (which will
be called real contact area) where contact occurs due to the applied forces. Alternatively other linear
contact condition (such as bonded contact or no separation contact on the real contact area) can be
applied. Another method to deal the non-linear problem is using an approximated multi-harmonic
approach (harmonic balance approach) which permits frequency domain integration and allows the
use of complete and accurate models of the blades, as it is done e.g. in [5] or [6].
For the definition of the real contact area, a static non-linear analysis must be performed applying
the centrifugal force and the static component of the steam force and evaluating deflections and
contact pressures, which implies the assumption of contact stiffness and friction coefficients. Figure
2 shows an example of contact area evaluation on a slant shroud. Similar results have been found
also in [7] where a rather complete and accurate analysis of the free and forced vibration of a
shrouded blade row is described and compared to experimental results obtained on a test rig,
showing good agreement.
Since all blades have the same loads and the same friction, cyclic symmetry can be used (otherwise
for modelling and analyzing in the time domain the complete row the computational effort would be
unaffordable).

Figure 2 Example of real contact area between shrouds.

The only drawback of cyclic symmetry is that the contact surfaces between shrouds or snubbers
cannot be used as symmetry surfaces: the shroud or the snubber must therefore be cut, as well as the
root and in some cases, depending on the geometry of the blade, also a part of the airfoil. This may
affect the stress distribution inside the airfoil (since tangential stresses are null on symmetry
surfaces) but not the overall displacements and the related contact pressures.

In order to define the equivalent spring and damper elements or the equivalent contact pads,
different dynamical behaviours of a couple of shrouded blades (taken as an example), with
continuous contact and with periodical intermittent contacts, with high or low friction, with strong
or weak excitation, close to resonance and far from resonance have been investigated [8,9].
All results show a reduction of vibration amplitude with respect to the free standing blades without
contact, as could be expected. From the results of the couple of blades with non-linear contact
between shrouds, a linear equivalent model (with restricted validity) of the couple of blades
interconnected by equivalent contact pads or springs and dampers, taking account of contact
stiffness and friction energy dissipation has been developed. Using cyclic symmetry the complete
blade row has been obtained and analysed for natural frequencies evaluation and forced vibration
calculations. But it resulted that natural frequencies depend strongly on the contact model used, and
the spreading of results in terms of natural frequencies was really huge. Figure 3 shows an example
of the spreading of natural frequencies curves as function of nodal diameters, in dependence of
different contact models.
The calculation of the dynamical behaviour of the model of the complete blade row (with real
contact conditions and eventually some mistuning among blades, in the time domain), which would
require the application of an harmonic in space load distribution (for simulating different engine
order excitations), each load distribution would be harmonic in time and a frequency sweep for
detecting resonant conditions would be required for each different load distribution, all this is
obviously computationally much less affordable with respect to the static analysis.

Figure 3 Spreading of natural frequencies as function of engine order or nodal diameter number for
different slant shroud contact models.
Therefore the calculation of the dynamical behaviour of complete blade rows with real non linear
contact conditions is not feasible. What then about measuring the dynamical behaviour, provided
that the turbine rotor with all blade rows has been already built and is available for tests?

Experimental natural frequency measurements

The measurement of natural frequencies (or resonant frequencies) of all different blade rows of a
steam turbine, at rated speed (e.g in the overspeed bunker), with a suitable excitation system (able
to apply all different engine order excitations) and suitable blade vibration measurement system is
possible, but very costly and time consuming.
These tests are generally made only when a new last stage blade has been developed by the turbine
manufacturer, and the tests will then be performed on a dummy rotor on which only the row under
examination is mounted. The test is then restricted to identify the resonant conditions at rated speed
with different engine order excitations. Resonant conditions must be avoided at rated speed, and
some structural modification on the blades allow to shift natural frequencies so that the above
condition is satisfied.
The described approach is used for power plant machines where rated speed is the normal operating
condition, and where resonant conditions are experienced only during run up or run down transients,
when excitation forces due to the steam are at its minimum. Industrial turbines which can have
different operating conditions at different speeds, cannot avoid resonant conditions and must
therefore have resonant resistant blade rows, which means that blades must have enough
damping to reduce the vibrations at acceptable levels.
Investigation by means of a special test rig
Due to the described difficulties in predicting the effects of the contact conditions on natural
frequencies and damping of blade rows, it was decided to design and build a stationary test rig, in
which a group of 4 blades (of new design) is accommodated. It is possible to apply different
controlled contact forces between blade roots and the test rig structure, and different controlled
contact pressures in between the shrouds and the test-rig structure. Further it is possible to apply
different engine order excitations to two blades of the group by means of two shakers, and to
measure forces and vibrations of all blades.

Figure 4 Test rig model and mode shape (with no separation contact) at natural frequency 510 Hz.
Of course the test conditions are different with respect to the real operating conditions, the
deflection of the blades and shrouds are different due to the lack of the centrifugal force, the contact
areas are different, the blades are only 4 and not a complete row, etc. But the behaviour of the 4
blades and the test block as well as the different contact conditions can be accurately modelled, and
the real contact conditions and its effect on the dynamical behaviour can be evaluated from
experimental results.
Impulsive tests on stationary blade rows
Due to the availability of two rotors with all blade rows of different types mounted, it was decided
to get some insight in the natural blade row frequencies and the associated damping by performing
impulse tests on the stationary blade rows.

Of course it is expected that these results are not representative for the dynamical behaviour of the
blade rows in normal operating conditions, due to the weak contact conditions which can occur for
certain types of blade rows. But it was deemed interesting to investigate which frequencies could be
excited and with which dynamic amplification factor. These experimental results could in general
not be compared to numerical results due to lack of suitable models. Cyclic symmetry analysis
cannot be used because impulsive load on one blade only is not a cyclic load. Further real
conditions like weak contact conditions, clearances, or slipping conditions between roots and seats
and between shrouds cannot be represented by linear models.
Two types of tests have been made: in the first series an impulse has been applied with a noninstrumented hammer and vibration histories on the excited blade and on another blade at a distance
of 5 or 10 blades away have been measured by means of 2 accelerometers (see figure 1). Hitting
and measuring was possible only in axial direction. The tests have been repeated in different
angular positions around the blade row, and good repeatability has been found. Each spectrum is
obtained as mean of 6 different tests. The peaks in the spectra of the recorded time histories (black
indicates hit blade and green the other blade, see figure 5) are assumed to be natural frequencies,
and the relative phase in correspondence of the peaks indicates if vibrations in the two blades are in
phase or in opposition of phase. In this last case a node or nodal diameter in between the two
instrumented blades is likely to be assumed.
Interesting differences in similar blade rows have been found.
HP-IP Turbine
Comparing three different blade rows (n. 18, 16 and 10) of the HP-IP turbine rotor, where all blades
have a T root, and zig-zag shrouds, three different spectra are obtained.

Figure 5 Different spectra and relevant phases of similar blades: left row n. 18 and right row n. 16.

The last stage (n. 18) which has the longest blades, shows a rich dynamic behaviour, a spectrum
with almost nine peaks for both blades. All modes from 613 Hz up to 954 Hz show a node in
between the two blades at a distance of 5 blades.

Figure 6 Spectrum of blade row n.10 and relevant phase.

In blade row n.16 instead only one mode (at 727 Hz) is excited consistently, and also at a distance
of 10 blades always in phase vibration has been found. It is surprising to find so different behaviour
in two blade rows which are so similar (same shroud and root technology) and differ only in the size
of the blade. The first two free standing natural frequencies of row n.18 blade were 384 and 702 Hz;
those of row n.16 blades were 572 and 963 Hz. Considering now row n.10, two natural frequencies
(990 Hz and 1100-1170 Hz) are identified; the first mode has no nodes in between the 2 blades, the
second mode has one node in between blades at 10 blade distance, as shown in figure 6. Here the
first two natural free standing frequencies were 698 and 1226 Hz.
Considering only the 1.st mode of the free standing blade and comparing it to the 1.st mode of the
row (in axial direction) generally a relevant increase in natural frequency has been observed, due to
the huge increase in overall stiffness of the row.
Since the peaks in the spectra at least in rows n.10 and n.16 are rather sharp and well defined, it was
decided to try to identify also the associated modal damping.

Figure 7 Two different time histories compared to filtered signals for logarithmic decay calculation.
All time histories (in blue) have been analysed, filtered (in red the filtered signal) with a narrow
band filter centred on the peak in the spectrum which is assumed to be one row natural frequency,
for calculating logarithmic decay and consequently modal damping. Figure 6 shows the results for
row n.10 filtered at 1003 Hz (left) and at 992 Hz (right), both with a bandwidth of 20 Hz: the mean
values of damping resulted 1,32% (left) and 2,26% (right). In general the spreading of values was
rather high, considering different time intervals during the same transient and considering different
transients on the same row. This might be due to the fact that the system is not linear and damping

may depend on vibration amplitude. This is much more evident in the unfiltered signal with respect
to the filtered signal, which requires almost 4-5 cycles to develop properly. It is surprising to note
that the filtered signal has higher amplitudes with respect to the unfiltered signal, which could be
due to a kind of interference with other close modes in the unfiltered signal.
LP turbine
The double flow low pressure steam turbine was composed by 5 blade rows each side; the first three
(called L-5, L-4 and L-3) were similar to the HP-IP rotor blade rows, with zig-zag shrouds and T
roots. Similarly to the HP-IP rotor blade rows, significant differences were found between similar
blades, as shown in figures 8, 9 and 10, where the spectra in black are those of the hit blade, and the
spectra in green those of a blade 5 positions away from hit blade.
Row n. L-5 shows a rather undefined dynamic behaviour, where different modes mix together.
Evaluation of natural frequencies and associated modal damping seems difficult. Row L-4 has a
behaviour similar to row 18 of HP-IP turbine, despite different blade length, and its behaviour is
completely different from row L-3, although these rows are similar in shape and size. The reasons
of these differences in its dynamic behaviour is still unknown, but could be related to small
differences in clearances and assembling techniques.
With respect to the free standing blade all rows with zig-zag shrouds show an increase of its first
natural frequency of around 40%, despite the fact that calculated frequency takes account of rather
stiff connection between root and rotor.
Row L-2 is composed by packets of 6 blades with continuous riveted shrouds: this results in well
defined dynamical behaviour of the single packet, as it is shown also in row L-0 composed by
packets of 8 blades, with welded snubbers. Row L-1 instead has again an undefined dynamic
behaviour like row L-5, despite the fact that blades are grouped in packets of 4 with continuous
riveted shrouds.

Figure 8 Spectra of rows L-5 and L-4.

Figure 9 Spectra of rows L-3 and L-2.

Figure 10 Spectra of rows n. L-1 and L0.

Testing a L-1 stage with slant shrouds, from a LP turbine.
Another blade row of a LP rotor equipped with a different type of blade with fir-tree roots and slant
shrouds has been tested in a similar way (see Fig. 11). In this case also impulse force has been
measured and by dividing vibration by force the FRF have been obtained. Blades were designed to
be in contact at the shrouds, but have been assmbled with a rather small interference: the result was
that contact between shrouds was rather uncertain and weak in stationary (non-rotating) conditions
between root and rotor. Vibration tests have shown a peculiar behaviour: low frequency modes
(corresponding to 1.st and 2.nd modes of the free standing blade) could not be really excited,
probably residual clearance and damping were preventing vibration, as shown in Fig. 12.

Figure 11 Row with slant shrouds.

Figure 12 Impulse excitation results as FRF.

The frequency which resulted nicely excited was 1200 Hz which corresponds roughly to an airfoil
bending mode, as can be inferred from modal analysis of the free standing blade which were
analysed for simulating their behaviour in the previously described test rig, shown in Fig. 13 (1.st
tangential mode at 184 Hz) and in Fig. 14 (bending blade mode with maximum at airfoil, 768 Hz).

Figure 13 1.st free standing mode (186 Hz).

Figure 14 1.st blade airfoil mode (768 Hz).

Considering instead the full row on the rotor (with equivalent linear contact elements for
accounting for the contact between shrouds) following results have been obtained considering
cyclic symmetry, with different contact models (see fig 15).

Figure 15 Spreading of natural frequencies as function of type of contact model versus EO.
Considering the REV0 contact model, the deformation shapes have been analysed for different
nodal diameters: with 0 ND at 495 Hz (Fig. 16) the blade in the row vibrates according to its 1.st
axial single blade mode which was at 400 Hz, but already with 4 ND the frequency gets 643 Hz
(Fig. 17) and airfoil bends with maximum in the middle and low vibration at the shrouds. Shroud
vibration is prevented by contacts between shrouds, therefore airfoil bends at lower frequency (with
respect to the free standing blade). In all higher frequency modes (above 600 Hz) the maximum
amplitude is experienced in the airfoil. Also experimentally the first mode which is not prevented or
damped by clearances and friction in roots and between shrouds is an airfoil mode, but its frequecy
is much higher (1200 Hz) with respect to the first airfoil mode in the row and in the free standing
blade.

Figure 16 0 ND axial mode (495 Hz)

Figure 17 4 ND mode (643 Hz)

Conclusions
Different experimental results of impact tests on stationary blade rows with continuous or
intermittent shrouds of two different shapes have been shown. Where available, also numerical
results have been used for interpreting the experimental findings. Some significant results are:
Shrouding of blade rows increase row stiffness and natural frequencies.
Sometimes only very few modes could be excited, the rich dynamic behavior of linear blade
row models has not been found experimentally.
Weak contact conditions in roots and shrouds may prevent the clean vibration behavior
which would be expected from linear models.
Equivalent linear models are not yet able to predict properly the dynamic behavior, due to
uncertainties in modeling the contact. Even harder is the task in non rotating conditions,
when significant non-linearity may appear due to weak contact conditions both in roots and
between shrouds.
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