Local residual stress measurement and analysis for detection and prediction of damage in thermal barrier coatings

1. A method for evaluating degradation of a thermal barrier coating disposed on a turbine blade, the method comprising:

measuring a residual stress at an outermost layer of a thermal barrier coating on a turbine blade by penetrating radiation up to about 10 μm into the outermost layer, the turbine blade having been subjected to normal operating conditions; and

determining degradation of the thermal barrier coating based on a comparison between the residual stress measurement and a control stress measurement.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the control stress measurement is approximately zero.

3. The method of claim 2 further including removing the turbine blade from operational use when the residual stress measurement is approximately equal to zero.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the control stress measurement is a predetermined minimum residual stress safety level, the predetermined minimum residual stress safety level being greater than zero.

5. The method of claim 4 further including removing the turbine blade from operational use when the residual stress measurement is approximately equal to the predetermined minimum residual stress safety level.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal barrier coating is crystalline.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein measuring the residual stress is performed with x-ray diffraction.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein x-ray radiation penetrates the barrier coating up to about 5 μm.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring the residual stress is performed with neutron diffraction.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring the residual stress is performed with ultrasound.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outermost layer is penetrated by x-ray, neutron, ultrasonic, or optical spectroscopic radiation about 5 μm to about 10 μm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the residual stress is performed with optical spectroscopic techniques.

13. A method for evaluating degradation of a thermal barrier coating disposed on a turbine blade, the method comprising:

measuring a residual stress at an outermost layer of a barrier coating on a first turbine blade by penetrating radiation up to about 10 μm into the outermost layer, the first turbine blade not having been subjected to normal operating temperatures;

measuring a residual stress of an outermost insulative layer of a barrier coating on a second turbine blade by penetrating radiation up to about 10 μm into the outermost layer, the second turbine blade having been subjected to normal operating temperatures;

comparing the residual stress measurements taken from the first and second turbine blades; and

determining degradation of the thermal barrier coating of the second turbine blade based on the comparison of the residual stress measurements.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the thermal barrier coatings are crystalline.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein measuring the residual stress is performed with x-ray diffraction.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein x-ray radiation penetrates the barrier coating up to about 5 μm.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein measuring the residual stress is performed with neutron diffraction.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein measuring the residual stress is performed with ultrasound.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the outermost layer is penetrated by x-ray, neutron, ultrasonic, or optical spectroscopic radiation about 5 μm to about 10 μm.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein measuring the residual stress is performed with optical spectroscopic techniques.