Growth of cracks at rolling contact fatigue

Abstract: Rolling contact fatigue is a problem encountered with many machine elements.In the current report a numerical study has been performed in order to predictthe crack path and crack propagation cycles of a surface initiated rolling contactfatigue crack. The implementation of the contact problem is based on theasperity point load mechanism for rolling contact fatigue. The practical studiedproblem is gear contact. Different loading types and models are studied andcompared to an experimental spall profile. Good agreement has been observedconsidering short crack lengths with a distributed loading model using normalloads on the asperity and for the cylindrical contact and a tangential load on theasperity. Several different crack propagation criteria have been implemented inorder to verify the validity of the dominant mode I crack propagation assumption.Some general characteristics of rolling contact fatigue cracks have beenhighlighted. A quantitative parameter study of the implemented model hasbeen performed.