Experimental Evaluation of the Effects of Structural Changes on the Vibration Properties of CK35 Steel

The microstructure of some components which operate in high-temperature conditions (e.g. boiler components, turbine blades used in gas power plants, jet engines and reactors) is subjected to changes in long run, which leads to a degradation in the mechanical properties of these components and consequently, reduces their lifecycle. Therefore, it is so useful to detect the changes in the microstructure of these parts during their operation, employing an easy, fast and non-destructive method to determine their remaining life. In this study, we evaluate the effects of the microstructural changes on natural frequencies and the damping coefficient of CK35 steel, employing the experimental modal test. We aim to use the method for power plant components, if it has significant effects. To do so, we applied spheroidization heat treatment on CK35 steel samples having a primary structure of ferrite-pearlite for 24 and 48 hours. Then, we carried out the experimental modal test on samples having different metallurgical structures, but with the same dimensions and weights. According to the findings, the spherical ferrite-carbide particles in the ferrite structure increase the natural frequencies and damping coefficient. These tests show that the structural changes in this type of steel result in slight changes in the values of natural frequencies; however, it significantly changes the damping frequencies.