Three-dimensional, parallel, finite element simulation of fatigue crack growth in a spiral bevel pinion gear

This paper summarizes new results for predicting crack shape and fatigue life for a spiral bevel pinion gear using computational fracture mechanics. The predictions are based on linear elastic fracture mechanics theories combined with the finite element method, and incorporating plasticity-induced fatigue crack closure and moving loads. We show that we can simulate arbitrarily shaped fatigue crack growth in a spiral bevel gear more efficiently and with much higher resolution than with a previous boundary-element-based approach [Spievak LE, Wawrzynek PA, Ingraffea AR, Lewicki DG. Simulating fatigue crack growth in spiral bevel gears. Engng Fract Mech 2001;68(1):53–76] using the finite element method along with a better representation of moving loads. Another very significant improvement is the decrease in solution time of the problem by employing a parallel PC-cluster, an approach that is becoming more common in both research and practice. This reduces the computation time for a complete simulation from days to a few hours. Finally, the effect of change in the flexibility of the cracking tooth on the location and magnitude of the contact loads and also on stress intensity factors and fatigue life is investigated.