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Modeling and Failure Analysis of a Broken Railway Axle: Effects of Surface Defects and Inclusions

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Abstract

In the present work, the fatigue behavior of an axle was analyzed using modeling and experimental approaches. A failed axle was used for experimental studies. The experimental results were then analyzed in order to model and predict the fatigue life of axle. The three-dimensional finite element analysis was used to simulate the fatigue behavior of axle. The growth of a machining defect, 2 μm initial crack length, was simulated versus applied cycles. The changes in the stress intensity factor as a function of crack length were modeled as well. The model predicted that after about 5 × 108 cycles there was an abrupt increase in the crack length, reaching a critical value of about 65 mm at around N f = 5 × 109 cycles, indicating that the longer the crack, the higher its growth will be. The experimental results were then compared with the modeling predictions. It is shown that the latter are in a good agreement with the former. The results obtained in this study do give a basis for evaluation of single scratch or notch produced by improper machining.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metallurgical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, 15914, Iran

    H. Alihosseini & K. Dehghani

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  1. H. Alihosseini
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  2. K. Dehghani
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Correspondence to K. Dehghani.

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Alihosseini, H., Dehghani, K. Modeling and Failure Analysis of a Broken Railway Axle: Effects of Surface Defects and Inclusions. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 10, 233–239 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-010-9340-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-010-9340-0

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