A Parametric Investigation of Surface Initiated Rolling Contact Fatigue Using the Asperity Point Load Mechanism

Abstract:

Rolling contact fatigue (RCF) will eventually become an issue for machine elementsthat are repeatedly over-rolled with high contact loads and small relative sliding motion. Thedamage consists of cracks and craters in the contact surfaces. Asperities on the contact surfacesact as local stress raisers and provide tensile surface stresses which can explain both initiationand propagation of surface initiated RCF damage. A parametric study was performed to inves-tigate the contribution of surface roughness, friction and a residual surface stress to the RCFdamage process. The effects on initiation, crack path and fatigue life at both early and devel-oped damage were examined for a gear application. Both a one-parameter-at-a-time approachand a 2-level full factorial design were carried out. Surface roughness and local friction prop-erties were found to control crack initiation, whereas the simulated crack path was primarilyaffected by the residual surface stress, especially for developed damage. Reduced surface rough-ness, improved lubrication and a compressive residual surface stress all contributed to increasethe simulated fatigue life. The asperity point load model could predict effects on RCF that areobserved with experiments. The results further support the asperity point load mechanism asthe source behind surface initiated RCF.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volumes 577-578)
• Pages: 45-48
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.577-578.45
• Online since: September 2013
• Authors: Dave Hannes, B. Alfredsson
• Keywords: Asperity, Crack Path, Fatigue Life, Friction, Initiation, Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF)

References

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