Rolling contact fatigue of rails

Abstract

Rolling contact fatigue (RCF) has been of increasing concern in the recent years regarding the safe operation of high-speed railway track with high traffic intensity. The present paper summarizes the results of an on-going investigation of RCF damage encountered in the Athens Metro. The objective of the investigation has been to determine the initiation and propagation of RCF cracks and to determine their geometrical characteristics. A thorough metallographic investigation of track regarding shelling and spalling defects showed the development of a subsurface network of cracks. An analysis of the Hertzian stress field was employed in order to determine the conditions for first yield and shakedown limits as a function of loading conditions.