Numerical analysis for predicting the rolling contact fatigue crack initiation in a railway wheel steel

This paper concerns the modelling of the rolling contact fatigue of a railway wheel steel, which is simulated with moving Hertzian contact pressure. Parametric studies are carried out with a two-dimensional elastic–plastic finite element model of a part of a wheel containing defects. Several parameters, namely the size and shape of material defects, the load magnitude and the friction coefficient are varied to investigate their effect on the railway wheel fatigue damage. Defects or small friction coefficient are a plausible explanation to the initiation of deep subsurface fatigue cracks.