An investigation of premature fatigue failures of gas turbine blade

•Investigation of the premature blade failure by mechanical, metallography and chemical analysis.•Metallurgical characterization of blade material.•Finite element analysis of the blade geometry.•Identification of the steady-state stress concentration areas and the stress/strain values.•Probable cause of failure and recommendations to mitigate such incidents.

A failure of a first stage compressor blade of a Gas Turbine Generator in a Gas Treatment plant caused severe mechanical damage to the compressor section and power supply troubles. In this paper, the blade failure is investigated by mechanical, metallography and chemical analysis. A finite element analysis is performed on the blade geometry to identify the stress concentration areas and the stress/strain values. The investigation outcomes provided the most probable cause of the premature blade failure and the recommendations to mitigate such incidents.