Flaking failure in rolling contact fatigue caused by indentations on mating surface (III): Mechanism of crack growth in the direction opposite to the load-movement

In rolling contact fatigue, we have discovered that a flaking failure accompanied by cracks extending bi-directionally relative to the load-movement occurs on a defect-free surface due to the influence of indentations on a mating surface. We have also demonstrated, using stress analysis, the initiation of incipient cracks in the subsurface region resulting from indentations on the mating surface. In the present study, we focus on the stage of crack extension in the direction opposite to the load-movement. Firstly, mode II fatigue crack growth properties are investigated by conducting mode II fatigue testing, which has been previously presented. Subsequently, stress intensity factors at a subsurface crack are calculated by using a finite element method for the case of an indentation on the mating surface moving through the contact area. In this calculation, the configuration of the modeled crack is very similar to cracks actually observed. Based on the results of both the stress analysis and the cracking seen in actual tests, the mechanism for the development of opposite-directional cracking is proposed to be a mode II extension of an incipient subsurface crack.