Fretting fatigue analysis and residual strength evaluation of railway axles containing defects of natural crack and micro-sinking

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the residual fatigue strength of railway axles containing defects of natural crack and micro-sinking at the press-fitted region. It involves experimental and numerical analyses of fretting fatigue damage on the full-scale axle, and estimation of residual fatigue strength. Findings indicate that fretting fatigue damage in the examined axle stems from the micro-sinking near the wheel seat edge, which causes a stress concentration at the inner side of wheel seat. Furthermore, the residual fatigue strength of the axle can be estimated using multiaxial fatigue criteria together with theory of critical distance (TCD), EI-Haddad and Murakami models.