Severe Plastic Deformed Zones and White Etching Layers Formed During Service of Railway Wheels

Abstract The near-surface regions of rail wheels experience a complex thermo-mechanical loading, which varies along the location tread and causes severe changes to microstructure. Occasionally, brittle white etching layers (WEL) are formed, representing high risk wheel damage. Therefore, we studied depth-evolution surface-near microstructure different being ~ 200,000 km in service. microstructural variations point toward higher thermal loading history middle predominant mechanical neighboring regions, where plastic deformed with rolling contact fatigue cracks is present. Varieties WEL-like microstructures were investigated, presented analysis contributes knowledge their characteristics outpoints these terms potential crack initiation sites on railway wheels.