A new methodology for predicting crack initiation life for rolling contact fatigue based on dislocation and crack propagation

A new methodology for predicting crack initiation life is presented and validated experimentally. The methodology considers that the total fatigue life is the summation of crack initiation life and crack propagation life, since fatigue failures are due to crack initiation and crack propagation. It has been established that the crack propagation life can be estimated based on a modified Paris' law when the size of crack is larger than a certain value. However, there has been no verified method for estimating the crack initiation life with good accuracy. The proposed methodology for predicting the crack initiation life is based on a dislocation model, and the constants for the model are determined by the crack initiation lives obtained by a new approach. This new approach determines the crack initiation life by subtracting the predicted crack propagation life from the experimentally obtained total fatigue life. The developed crack initiation life model is combined with a crack propagation life model for the prediction of fatigue life. It is noted that the standard deviation in the ratios of experimental life to predicted life by the developed fatigue life model is only 14% of that by the International Standard. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.