Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue (TMF) Testing

Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue (TMF) testing simulates the complex effects of simultaneous thermal and mechanical strain and is able to replicate the service conditions experienced by gas turbines and the infrastructure associated with power generation.
More sophisticated than isothermal fatigue, TMF uses induction heating and forced cooling to achieve specimen heating and cooling rates in excess of 50°C/s.
SMaRT currently has 4 test rigs capable of conducting
load or strain controlled TMF tests and has also developed
the capability to perform crack propagation testing
under TMF conditions.

SMaRT’s thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) testing experts are highly trained, and greatly experienced in running fatigue testing programs. Using state-of-the-art equipment, our lab can reliably measure material behaviour under thermomechanical fatigue conditions and provide interpretation of the results.

Thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) testing is very complex and requires mechanical strain range, strain rate, temperature rate, and the phasing between temperature and mechanical strain to be carefully controlled, monitored and/or adjusted in order to accurately characterize the thermo mechanical behaviour of materials being tested.

SMaRT routinely conducts TMF testing in compliance with the following international and industry standards (working to other methods are available upon request):

BS ISO 12111 Metallic materials – Fatigue testing – Strain-controlled thermo-mechanical fatigue testing method
EUR 22218 EN Validated code of practice for strain controlled thermomechanical fatigue testing
ASTM E2368 Standard practice for strain controlled thermomechanical fatigue testing