Subsurface Crack Propagation from Internal Defect in Rolling Contact Fatigue of Railway Wheel Steel

Rolling contact fatigue failure is one of the main damages in railway wheels caused by cyclic rolling with rails. This internal defects such as nonmetallic inclusions or voids and may occur heavy haul freight car wheels. The subsurface crack propagation behaviors are evaluated twin-disc-type tests using test specimens artificial defects. Finite element analyses involving simulated also conducted. cracks more likely to propagate larger Moreover, initiating from trailing side faster than those leading side. Shear mode equivalent stress intensity factors obtained finite correspond well results tests. specimen models have factor ranges smaller both sides. suggest that propagations affected deformation defects, which leads higher resistance