XFEM rolling contact fatigue crack propagation in railways considering creepages on contact shear stresses

In this work the influence of considering wheel-rail contact creepages on fatigue crack growth rates due to Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) is studied. For this purpose, the FASTSIM algorithm, which considers the moving complex pressure distribution with slipping and adhesion zones of the wheel-rail contact patch, has been implemented in Abaqus using FORTRAN code subroutines. The developed methodology has been validated with a 60E1 rail profile model which uses XFEM, by comparing the obtained Stress Intensity Factors (SIFs) and sub-surface shear stresses with numerical results available in the literature. Finally, the RCF crack propagation analysis of a 60E1 rail profile with different contact conditions has been performed using the XFEM. The obtained results justify the necessity of considering contact creepages on contact shear stresses for crack growth analysis.

Automated summary

This study investigates the influence of considering wheel-rail contact creepages on fatigue crack growth rates caused by Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF). The developed methodology, which incorporates the FASTSIM algorithm and XFEM, has been validated and the results show that considering contact creepages is necessary for fatigue crack growth analysis.