Composite keystoned blade track

1. A blade track for a gas turbine engine, the blade track comprising

a plurality of blade track segments comprising ceramic-matrix composite materials and shaped to extend part-way around a central axis, each blade track segment including opposing circumferential end faces and a radially outer surface extending between the end faces, and

an annular composite-lock structure positioned to engage the radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments, the composite-lock structure including ceramic-matrix materials and at least one reinforcement fiber of ceramic-containing material suspended in the ceramic-matrix materials of the annular composite-lock structure,

wherein the blade track segments are positioned circumferentially around the central axis to form a ring, the end faces of the blade track segments are engaged with one another, and the composite-lock structure continuously extends circumferentially around the entire ring to provide a radially-inward force toward the central axis against each of the plurality of blade track segments such that each blade track segment acts as a keystone to maintain a form of the ring.

2. The blade track of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber is positioned to circumferentially surround the ring along the radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments.

3. The blade track of claim 2 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber is a single continuous fiber that extends around the ring at least twice.

4. The blade track of claim 2 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber includes a plurality of fibers.

5. The blade track of claim 2 , wherein each of the blade track segments further includes a runner and a pair of flanges that extend radially outward from the outer surface of the runner to form a radially-outward opening lock-receiving channel with the runner that receives at least a portion of the composite-lock structure.

6. The blade track of claim 5 , wherein a first one of the pair of flanges extends outwardly in a radial direction along an axially-forward face of the runner to form a generally continuous axially-forward face of the blade track segment.

7. The blade track of claim 6 , wherein a second one of the pair of flanges extends outwardly in the radial direction along an axially-aft face of the runner to form a generally continuous axially-aft face of the blade track segment.

8. The blade track of claim 1 , wherein the end faces of the blade track segments are configured to engage and form a resultant radially-outward force away from the central axis against the composite-lock structure.

9. The blade track of claim 8 , wherein the end faces extend radially inward from the outer surface and are positioned to lie in a plane defined in part by the central axis.

10. A method of assembling a blade track for use in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising

positioning a plurality of blade track segments circumferentially around a central axis, each blade track segment comprising ceramic-matrix composite materials and shaped to extend part-way around the central axis, each blade track segment including opposing circumferential end faces and a radially outer surface extending between the end faces,

engaging the end faces of adjacent blade track segments together to form a ring of blade track segments, and

forming an annular composite-lock structure along the radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments, the composite-lock structure comprising ceramic-matrix composite materials,

wherein the composite-lock structure continuously extends circumferentially around the ring of blade track segments to provide a radially inward force against the blade track segments such that each blade track segment acts as a keystone to maintain a form of the ring of blade track segments.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein forming the composite-lock structure includes positioning at least one reinforcement fiber of ceramic-containing material along the outer surfaces of the blade track segments and suspending the at least one reinforcement fiber in ceramic-matrix materials included in the composite lock structure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein suspending the at least one reinforcement fiber in ceramic-matrix material includes infiltrating the at least one reinforcement fiber with the ceramic-matrix material and solidifying the ceramic-matrix material to form a ceramic-matrix composite structure.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber is infiltrated using at least one of a slurry infiltration process or melt infiltration process.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber is a single continuous fiber.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising wrapping the fiber around the ring along the radially outer surfaces of the blade tracks at least once.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising wrapping the fiber around the ring along the radially outer surfaces of the blade tracks at least twice.

17. A method of forming a blade track for use in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising

forming a plurality of blade track segments from ceramic-matrix composite materials,

arranging the blade track segments in a ring, and

forming an annular composite-lock structure from ceramic-matrix composite materials along radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments,

wherein composite-lock structure continuously extends circumferentially around the entire ring and is configured to provide a radially inward force against the blade track segments such that each blade track segment acts as a keystone to maintain a form of the ring.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein forming the composite-lock structure includes wrapping a single continuous fiber of ceramic-containing material along the radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments at least once and suspending the at least reinforcement one fiber in ceramic-matrix material.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein suspending the at least one reinforcement fiber in ceramic-matrix material includes infiltrating the at least one reinforcement fiber with the ceramic-matrix material and solidifying the ceramic-matrix material to form a ceramic-matrix composite structure.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising wrapping the fiber around the ring along the radially outer surfaces of the blade tracks at least twice.