Effects of Service Condition on Rolling Contact Fatigue Failure Mechanism and Lifetime of Thermal Spray Coatings——A Review

The service condition determines the Roiling Contact Fatigue（RCF） failure mechanism and lifetime under ascertain material structure integrity parameter of thermal spray coating. The available literature on the RCF testing of thermal spray coatings under various condition services is considerable; it is generally difficult to synthesize all of the result to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the parameters which has a great effect on a thermal spray coating＇s resistance of RCF. The effects of service conditions（lubrication states, contact stresses, revolve speed, and slip ratio） on the changing of thermal spray coatings＇ contact fatigue lifetime is introduced systematically. The effects of different service condition on RCF failure mechanism of thermal spray coating from the change of material structure integrity are also summarized. Moreover, In order to enhance the RCF performance, the parameter optimal design formula of service condition and material structure integrity is proposed based on the effect of service condition on thermal spray coatings＇ contact fatigue lifetime and RCF failure mechanism. The shortage of available literature and the forecast focus in future researches are discussed based on available research. The explicit result of RCF lifetime law and parameter optimal design formula in term of lubrication states, contact stresses, revolve speed, and slip ratio, is significant to improve the RCF performance on the engineering application.

ROLLING CONTACT FATIGUE BEHAVIOR OF CERAMIC BALLS LUBRICATED BY LUBRICANTS WITH EXTREME PRESSURE ADDITIVES

An experiment is conducted to investigate the effects of lubricant10#, which contains extreme pressure additives T304 and T305, on the rolling contact fatigue （RCF） life of the contact pairs of a Si3N4 ceramic ball and a steel rod. The experimental investigation is carried out using a ball-rod RCF test rig. The results show that the extreme pressure additives increase the anti-contact-fatigue performance of ceramic balls; When the content of the additives varies from 1% to 5%, the increasing gradient of the RCF life curve decreases; And the oil sample with 1% T305 additive corresponds to the maximal gradient of the RCF life curve, with the RCF life being increased by about 10.77 times. The fatigue surface of the ceramic ball is analyzed with scanning electron microscope （SEM） and X-ray electron dispersion analysis（EDAX）, and the physical model of extreme pressure additives＇ increasing the RCF life of the ceramic ball is proposed. It is found that the extreme pressure additives form a corrosive film and a transfer film on the surface of the ceramic ball, which decrease the surface tangential stress, and to increase the surface energy is the most effective means for increasing the RCF life.

The Effects of Different Post-Heat Treatments on Rolling Contact Fatigue Behaviors of Direct Laser Cladding Inconel 625 Coatings

In this paper,the microstructures and rolling contact fatigue behaviors of laser cladding Inconel 625 coatings with or without post-heat treatments were analyzed.The results revealed that the fatigue resistance of the laser cladding coating after any post-heat treatment was worse than that of the as-deposited coating.First,through the finite element analysis,the distribution of stress along the thickness direction of the coating was obtained,and it was concluded that the bonding interface between the coating and the matrix had little effect on the fatigue properties of the coating.Then X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and energy dispersive spectrometry(EDS)were used to analyze the microstructure and failure morphology.The results revealed that the subsurface failure morphology of the coatings showed a consistent correlation with rolling fatigue property after different heat treatments.The TCP phase and carbides have been shown in the laser cladding coating.The coating after stress relieved annealing exhibited chain-shaped granular carbides on the grain boundaries which could accelerate crack propagation.The aging heat treatment made small amounts of Laves phase dissolved in the coating,while the dispersed phase was precipitated which could result in the formation of pores.And the solution treatment made large amounts of Laves phase dissolved,while the rod-shape brittle phases were generated which was easy to fracture and contribute to crack initiation and spalling.

Exploring the ultrahigh rolling contact fatigue life of M50 bearing steel by adjusting the cryogenic sequence

The influence of different cryogenic sequences on the rolling contact fatigue(RCF)life of M50-bearing steel has been studied.The results show that direct cryogenic treatment after quenching can effectively improve RCF life.The L_(10)life is strikingly 5 times longer than that with cryogenic treatment after tem-pering.This is caused by the distinct lattice construction of martensite and the transformation of retained austenite.More secondary nanocarbides and fine twins are formed via cryogenic treatment before tem-pering compared with cryogenic treatment after tempering.The improvement in the RCF life of the steel is attributed to the joint effects of the secondary nanocarbides and twin boundaries with a width of 5-13 nm,which delays significantly crack initiation and propagation.This study highlights a common method to improve the service life of high-carbon and high-alloy steels by adjusting the cryogenic se-quence.

Effects of Primary Carbide Size and Type on the Sliding Wear and Rolling Contact Fatigue Properties of M50 Bearing Steel

The influences of primary carbide size and type on the sliding wear behavior and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) properties of M50 bearing steel were systematically investigated under oil lubrication condition. A major breakthrough was achieved in the influence of primary carbide on tribological behavior. The opposite effect brought by primary carbide size on the sliding wear resistance and RCF life of M50 bearing steel was determined. Wear resistance increased with an increase in the studied primary carbide size, whereas RCF life decreased significantly. Compared with the 0 R and R positions with a relatively small carbide size, the wear volume of the 1/2 R position with a large carbide size was the smallest. Compared with the 0 R and R positions, the L10 life of the 1/2 R position decreased by 82.7% and 84.8%, respectively. On the basis of the statistical correlation between primary carbide size and the two tribological properties, a critical maximum carbide size of 5-10 μm was proposed to achieve optimal tribological performance. This research suggests that the equivalent diameter of the primary carbide should be controlled to be smaller than 10 μm, but further decreasing primary carbide size to less than 5 μm is unnecessary. The influence of primary carbide type in M50 bearing steel on sliding wear resistance was also discussed. Results indicate that the MC-type carbides with higher elastic modulus and microhardness exhibit better wear resistance than the M2C-type carbides.

Rail fatigue crack propagation in high-speed wheel/rail rolling contact

To study the wheel/rail rolling contact fatigue of high-speed trains, we obtain the distribution of contact forces between wheel and rail by introducing the strain-rate effect. Based on the finite element simulation, a two-dimensional finite element model is established, and the process of a wheel rolling over a crack is analyzed to predict the crack propagation direction. The statistics of possible crack prop- agation angles are calculated by the maximum circumfer- ential stress criterion. The crack path is then obtained by using the average crack propagation angle as the crack propagation direction according to Weibull distribution. Results show that the rail crack mode of low-speed trains is different from that of high-speed trains. The rail crack propagation experiences a migration from opening mode to sliding mode under the low-speed trains; however, the rail crack mainly propagates in the opening mode under high- speed trains. Furthermore, the crack propagation rate for high-speed trains is faster than that for low-speed trains. The simulated crack paths are consistent with the experimental ones, which proves that it is reasonable to use the average value of possible crack propagation directions as the actual crack propagation direction.

Effects of solid friction modifier on friction and rolling contact fatigue damage of wheel-rail surfaces

In railway network,friction is an important factor to consider in terms of the service behaviors of wheel-rail system.The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a solid friction modifier(FM)in a railway environment.This was achieved by studying the friction,wear,and rolling contact fatigue(RCF)damage on the wheel-rail materials at different slip ratios.The results showed that when a solid FM was applied,the friction coefficient decreased.After the solid FM was separated from the wheel-rail interface,the friction coefficient gradually increased to its original level.With the application of the solid FM,the wear rates of the wheel-rail decreased.In addition,the thickness and hardness of the plastic deformation layers of the wheel-rail materials were reduced.The worn surfaces of the wheel-rail were dominated by pits and RCF cracks.Without the FM,RCF cracks ranged from 84 to 120μm,and subsurface cracks were generated.However,with the FM,RCF cracks ranged from 17 to 97μm and no subsurface cracks were generated.These findings indicate possible methods of improving the performance of railway rolling stock by managing friction,and reducing wear and permanent RCF damage affecting both the wheels and rails.

Rolling Contact Fatigue Properties of SAE 8620 Steel after Case Carburizing

Rolling contact fatigue（RCF）properties of SAE 8620 steel after case carburizing have been investigated under two contact stresses of 4.0and 5.5GPa.Results show that the RCF life ranges from 2.5×10^6 to 3×10^7 cycles under the contact stress of 5.5GPa,while it can be more than 1×10^8 cycles under the contact stress of 4.0GPa.The rated fatigue life L_（10）（lives with the 10%failure）is also drastically shortened from 9.8×10^6 to 5.4×10^5 cycles when the contact stress is increased from 4.0to 5.5GPa.Theoretical calculations and fractographs show that the maximum shear stress and the contact area increase with increasing the contact stress,making RCF tend to occur earlier.

Review of the damage mechanism in wind turbine gearbox bearings under rolling contact fatigue

Wind turbine gearbox bearings fail with the service life is much shorter than the designed life.Gearbox bearings are subjected to rolling contact fatigue(RCF)and they are observed to fail due to axial cracking,surface flaking,and the formation of white etching areas(WEAs).The current study reviewed these three typical failure modes.The underlying dominant mechanisms were discussed with emphasis on the formation mechanism of WEAs.Although numerous studies have been carried out,the formation of WEAs remains unclear.The prevailing mechanism of the rubbing of crack faces that generates WEAs was questioned by the authors.WEAs were compared with adiabatic shear bands(ASBs)generated in the high strain rate deformation in terms of microstructural compositions,grain refinement,and formation mechanism.Results indicate that a number of similarities exist between them.However,substantial evidence is required to verify whether or not WEAs and ASBs are the same matters.

Optimization of Preventive Grinding of Backup Roll against Contact Fatigue Cracking

In order to optimize the current grinding procedure of the backup roll of 2050 continuously variable crown (CVC) mills, the behavior of rolling contact fatigue (RCF) cracking was investigated. Two RCF short cracks, including vertical short crack and ratcheting short crack initiated from ratcheting, were observed. The behavior of both RCF cracks was analyzed in detail. Then a modified grinding procedure was proposed according to the behavior of RCF cracks and the preventive grinding strategy.

Influence of railway wheel tread damage on wheel-rail impact loads and the durability of wheelsets

Dynamic wheel-rail contact forces induced by a severe form of wheel tread damage have been measured by a wheel impact load detector during full-scale field tests at different vehicle speeds.Based on laser scanning,the measured three-dimensional damage geometry is employed in simulations of dynamic vehicle-track interaction to calibrate and verify a simulation model.The relation between the magnitude of the impact load and various operational parameters,such as vehicle speed,lateral position of wheel-rail contact,track stiffness and position of impact within a sleeper bay,is investigated.The calibrated model is later employed in simulations featuring other forms of tread damage;their effects on impact load and subsequent fatigue impact on bearings,wheel webs and subsurface initiated rolling contact fatigue of the wheel tread are assessed.The results quantify the effects of wheel tread defects and are valuable in a shift towards condition-based maintenance of running gear,and for general assessment of the severity of different types of railway wheel tread damage.

Numerical study on fatigue crack propagation behaviors in lubricated rolling contact

The surface-initiated Rolling Contact Fatigue(RCF)including pitting and micro-pitting is one of the key issues affecting the reliability of tribological components such as gears and bearings used in various devices.In this work,a surface-initiated crack Finite Element(FE)model which considers the effect of lubricant on crack faces was developed to investigate surface-initiated RCF using an automatic crack propagating Python script.Different lubricating states,initial crack parameters and loading conditions were simulated to analyze the evolution of crack propagation and the Stress Intensity Factors(SIFs).The RCF crack propagation path and life were predicted by employing the Maximum Tangential Stress(MTS)criterion coupled with the Paris’s law.A typical RCF failure is predicted in the numerical simulation.Results reveal that the lubricating pressurization dominates the surface-initiated RCF.In addition,the initial crack angle has a significant effect on the RCF crack propagation path and the fatigue life.

Microstress cycle and contact fatigue of spiral bevel gears by rolling-sliding of asperity contact

The rolling contact fatigue(RCF)model is commonly used to predict the contact fatigue life when the sliding is insignificant in contact surfaces.However,many studies reveal that the sliding,compared to the rolling state,can lead to a considerable reduction of the fatigue life and an excessive increase of the pitting area,which result from the microscopic stress cycle growth caused by the sliding of the asperity contact.This suggests that fatigue life in the rolling-sliding condition can be overestimated based only on the RCF model.The rubbing surfaces of spiral bevel gears are subject to typical rolling-sliding motion.This paper aims to study the mechanism of the micro stress cycle along the meshing path and provide a reasonable method for predicting the fatigue life in spiral bevel gears.The microscopic stress cycle equation is derived with the consideration of gear meshing parameters.The combination of the RCF model and asperity stress cycle is developed to calculate the fatigue life in spiral bevel gears.We find that the contact fatigue life decreases significantly compared with that obtained from the RCF model.There is strong evidence that the microscopic stress cycle is remarkably increased by the rolling-sliding motion of the asperity contact,which is consistent with the experimental data in previous literature.In addition,the fatigue life under different assembling misalignments are investigated and the results demonstrate the important role of misalignments on fatigue life.

Influence of white etching layer on rolling contact behavior at wheel-rail interface

The existence of narrow and brittle white etching layers(WELs)on the rail surface is often linked with the formation of rail defects such as squats and studs,which play the key roles in rail surface degradation and tribological performance.In the present study,a systematic investigation on stress/strain distribution and fatigue life of the WEL during wheel-rail rolling contact was conducted based on a numerical model considering the realistic wheel geometry.This is the first study considering the influence of rail materials,loading pressure,frictional condition,WEL geometry(a/b),and slip ratio(Sr)in the practical service conditions at the same time.The results revealed much higher residual stress in WEL than in rail matrix.Stress changes along the rail depth matched with the previously reported microstructure evolutions.The current work revealed that the maximum difference in contact stress between the wheel passages of rail matrix and the WEL region(noted as stress variation)rises with the increase of loading pressure,the value of a/b,and Sr;but drops with the friction coefficient(μ).In addition,a critical length–depth ratio of 5 for a/b has been found.The fatigue parameter,FP,of the WEL decreased quickly with the length–depth ratio when it was less than 5 and then increased slightly when it was larger than 5.This study also revealed that the fatigue life of the WEL was reduced for high strength head hardened(HH)rail compared with standard carbon(SC)rail.

Vertical Short Crack Initiation in Medium Carbon Bainitic Steel Under Mild Tractive Rolling Contact

To improve the current grinding procedure of the back-up roll of CVC hot rolling mills so that the back-up roll service life can be extended, the crack initiation and propagation behavior of medium carbon bainitic back-up roll steel was investigated, a kind of asperity-scale, surface originated vertical short cracks occurred at 5 × 10^2 -1 × 10^4 cycles. Theoretical analysis indicated that the maximum tensile stress occurring at the back edge of the contact of asperities keeps at above 1 347. 97 MPa, and ratcheting and cyclic plastic deformation take place at such sites within 1 × 10^4 cycles. The early initiation of the vertical short cracks is caused by the asperity contact. According to the crack initiation mechanism, short crack behavior and preventive grinding strategy, steel consumption can be reduced considerably by decreasing the surface roughness and removing the asperity influenced surface thin layer at about 70%-80% of the surface distress life.

Rail RCF damage quantification and comparison for different damage models

There are several fatigue-based approaches that estimate the evolution of rolling contact fatigue(RCF) on rails over time and built to be used in tandem with multibody simulations of vehicle dynamics. However, most of the models are not directly comparable with each other since they are based on different physical models even though they shall predict the same RCF damage at the end.This article studies different approaches to quantifying RCF and puts forward a measure for the degree of agreement between them. The methodological framework studies various steps in the RCF quantification procedure within the context of one another, identifies the ‘primary quantification step’ in each approach and compares results of the fatigue analyses. In addition to this, two quantities—‘similarity’ and ‘correlation’—have been put forward to give an indication of mutual agreement between models.Four widely used surface-based and sub-surface-based fatigue quantification approaches with varying complexities have been studied. Different operational cases corresponding to a metro vehicle operation in Austria have been considered for this study. Results showed that the best possible quantity to compare is the normalized damage increment per loading cycle coming from different approaches. Amongst the methods studied, approaches that included the load distribution step on the contact patch showed higher similarity and correlation in their results.While the different approaches might qualitatively agree on whether contact cases are ‘damaging’ due to RCF, they might not quantitatively correlate with the trends observed for damage increment values.

Accumulated damage process of thermal sprayed coating under rolling contact by acoustic emission technique

The accumulated damage process of rolling contact fatigue （RCF） of plasma-sprayed coatings was investigated. The influences of surface roughness, loading condition, and stress cycle frequency on the accumulated damage status of the coatings were discussed. A ball-on- disc machine was employed to conduct RCF experiments. Acoustic emission （AE） technique was introduced to monitor thc RCF process of the coatings. AE signal characteristics were investigated to reveal the accumulated damage process. Result showed that the polished coating would resist the asperity contact and remit accumulated damage. The RCF lifetime would then extend. Heavy load would aggravate the accumulated damage status and induce surface fracture. Wear became the main failure mode that reduced the RCF lifetime. Frequent stress cycle would aggravate the accumulated damage status and induce interface fracture. Fatigue then became the main failure mode that also reduced the RCF lifetime.

Fundamentals of Design and Technology of Rolling Element Bearings

This article presents an overview of fundamentals of rolling element bearing designs and technologies. The aim is to outline the complex interrelation of all fundamentals with the rolling contact fatigue and the attainable bearing life. Such fundamentals include, amongst others, bearing stressing and life capability. The article shows the different types of rolling bearing stressing and the analysis of the stress distribution （principal stresses and equivalent stresses） in the material under the rolling contact area. It becomes obvious that the contamination of the bearing with foreign particles leads to a drastic reduction in bearing life. Furthermore, it demonstrates the impact of the bearing lubrication and coating as well as the effect of additives on the attainable life and wear. Further fundamentals of rolling element bearing de- sign are the materials, the material cleanliness and the heat treatment. The article reveals the importance of the clean- liness of bearing steels as well as different types of inclusions and their effect on rolling contact fatigue. Additionally the article describes how to optimize the material properties （strength, toughness and residual stress） by the heat treat- nlent processes. The outcome of these investigations is that endurance life of a rolling element bearing can be achieved if specific operating conditions, an adequate lubrication, good system cleanliness and specific bearing stressing are met. The article provides a guideline for bearing engineers on how designs and technologies can be applied to optimizing a bearing for a particular industry or aerospace application.

Recent advances in wheel–rail RCF and wear testing

The wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) testing approaches for wheels and rails have been reviewedand evaluated in this study. The study points out the advantages and limitations of the existing approaches. Thebroad analysis revealed that scaled laboratory-based wear testing is widely applied. However, it is necessary topredetermine the input parameters and observing parameters for scaled wear testing for three reasons: first, toemulate the real-world scenarios as closely as possible;second, to postprocess the results received from the scaledtesting and transfer them into real practice at full scale;third, to present the results in a legible/appropriate format.Therefore, most of the important parameters required for wear testing have been discussed with fundamental andsystematic explanations provided. Additionally, the transition of the parameters from the real-world into the testdomain is explained. This study also elaborates on the challenges of the RCF and wear testing processes andconcludes by providing major considerations toward successful testing.