Evaluation of the Period Initiation Of Fatigue Microcrack on the Surface of the Wheelset Axle of a Railway Car

Keywords

wheelset axle, fatigue crack, stress intensity factor, residual service life

Abstract

A numerical method of evaluation of the period of initiation of a fatigue microcrack at the tip of a surface cavity-like defect in the wheelset axle of a railway car is proposed. In this method, we use a model based on the energy approach of fracture mechanics. It is shown that if the surface cavity-like defect is located in the most loaded place of the axle, then a fatigue microcrack can be initiated near its smooth tip for a relatively short period of operation of the axle.

References

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