A Predictive Rolling Contact Fatigue Crack Growth Model: Onset of Branching, Direction, and Growth—Role of Dry and Lubricated Conditions on Crack Patterns

Complex crack networks are initiated in rails under Rolling Contact Fatigue. This paper attempts to model the RCF crack propagation with a particular emphasis on the branching conditions and the parameters that play a role on them. The numerical tool proposed rests on the combination of the author’s RCF model, Hourlier and Pineau’s criterion for the branch prediction and experimental data and the corresponding models for fatigue crack extension that are derived from a Joint European project. Parametric studies on the influence of (i) residual stresses, (ii) both interfacial crack and wheel/rail contact frictional effects, (iii) neighboring crack are conducted to reach a better understanding of the RC crack propagation behavior and more particularly the branch conditions, i.e., the length of the primary crack prior to branch formation and the branch direction.