Fatigue Crack Propagation Analysis of Rail Surface Under Mixed Initial Crack Patterns

Prolonged rolling contact fatigue between wheels and rails results in the formation of surface cracks on the rail and accurately analyzing the crack expansion behavior is essential to ensuring the safe operation of the train. Drawing upon the principles of fracture mechanics and finite element theory, this study establishes a finite element model of wheel–rail rolling contact that incorporates the presence of cracks. The method utilizes an interaction integral to calculate the stress intensity factors at the leading edge of the crack; then, the Paris formula is used to solve the crack spreading rate. It systematically examines the effects of the initial crack angle, the coefficient of friction of wheels to rails, and crack size on the behavior of fatigue crack propagation. The results indicate that the cracks primarily extend in the depth direction of the rail, transforming the semi-circular surface cracks into elliptical cracks with the major axis oriented along the rail’s width. Crack propagation is primarily driven by model II and III composite crack propagation, with their expansion rates influenced by operating conditions. In contrast, mode-I expansion is less sensitive to these conditions. Under single-variable loading conditions, a smaller initial crack angle results in a faster crack growth rate. Increasing crack length accelerates crack growth, while a higher friction coefficient inhibits it. © 2024 by the authors.