An integrated review of multiphysics issues and challenges in the design and implementation of gas turbine blades for jet engine applications

Abstract Gas turbine blades are critical components subjected to extreme operating conditions, where the relentless demand for higher efficiency and durability drives innovation. This paper provides a critical review of recent advancements in turbine blade engineering, identify key challenges, and illuminate future directions. The review navigates the intricate relationship between six interconnected pillars: aerodynamic design, materials engineering, thermal management, structural analysis, life prediction, and the impact of advanced manufacturing. Despite significant progress in computational modeling, this review highlights a persistent and consequential reality gap between idealized predictions and the performance of in-service hardware. This gap is driven by factors such as manufacturing imperfections, environmental degradation, cooling effectiveness decay, and the process-induced defects inherent to novel technologies like additive manufacturing. Closing this gap is identified as the single most significant challenge, requiring a rigorous fusion of predictive modeling with comprehensive validation against data from service-exposed components.