Fatigue lifetime estimation of railway axles

0481281 - ÚFM 2018 RIV GB eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Náhlík, Luboš - Pokorný, Pavel - Ševčík, Martin - Fajkoš, R. - Matušek, P. - Hutař, Pavel
Fatigue lifetime estimation of railway axles.
Engineering Failure Analysis. Roč. 73, MAR (2017), s. 139-157. ISSN 1350-6307. E-ISSN 1873-1961
Grant CEP: GA MŠMT LM2015069; GA MŠMT(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0068
Institucionální podpora: RVO:68081723
Klíčová slova: Residual fatigue lifetime * Railway axle * Variable amplitude loading * Fatigue crack propagation * Damage tolerance methodology
Obor OECD: Audio engineering, reliability analysis
Impakt faktor: 2.157, rok: 2017

The railway axles are subjected to cyclic loading during their operation. Their load is of long-
term nature, therefore a real risk of fatigue failure exists. This failure could lead to derailment
of the whole train with serious consequences. To prevent such scenario, the railway axles have
to be safely removed from operation before their final failure occurs.
This paper presents methodology for the residual fatigue lifetime prediction of the railway axle
based on the linear elastic fracture mechanics concept. The methodology contains estimation of
the critical position of initial crack, prediction of the fatigue crack front shape development
during crack propagation, separation of the bending and press-fitting contributions to the
axle load, experimental measurement of the crack growth kinetics of EA4T steel and subse-
quent estimation of the residual fatigue lifetime of railway axle. Part of the presented study
is also devoted to the probability aspects of determination of material characteristics describing
fatigue crack propagation and retardation effects caused by existence of plastic zone ahead of
propagating fatigue crack. Described methodology is already applied in the design process of
new railway axles in Bonatrans company.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0276891