DETERMINATION OF CHARACTERISTICS OF FATIGUE CRACKS GROWTH IN THE AXLES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES

Providing damage resistance is the most important requirement presented to railway axles. This paper provides a detailed review of the characteristics of resistance to fatigue crack growth in axles made of EA4T steel (25CrMo4). This steel is typical for axles of high-speed rolling stock. Resistance to fatigue crack growth is defined by the nature of the Paris-Erdogan curve da/dN=CKm, the parameters of which are the coefficient C and the exponent m. Determination of these parameters is based on the results of fatigue tests with the samples or with full-scale axles having cracks. The analysis of numerous scientific papers has shown that for the specified steel there is a significant scatter in the values of these parameters. This scatter is caused by a number of factors, the main of which are: the difference in test objects (from small samples of the SE(B) type to full-scale rolling axles 190 mm in diameter); the difference in loading methods (tension-compression, flat bending, circular bending); the variation of mechanical properties of EA4T steel. In the paper the models of surface fatigue crack geometry are analyzed and semi-elliptical shape of crack front line is selected as the most acceptable. The significant scatter in the values of the parameters m and C prevents to establish reliably the residual life of axles with cracks, which is an important characteristic for practical forecasting of axle survivability. The technique for parameters m and C optimization in view of semi-elliptical shape of the crack front line has been developed. The relationship linking the parameters m and C has been established. The method for determining the residual life of the axle by the criterion of non-destruction is proposed. The dependence between the residual life and the value of the parameters of the Paris-Erdogan equation in the development of fatigue failure is established. The procedure for axles monitoring timeframes setting to prevent their fatigue failure is discussed. Keywords: parameters of Paris-Erdogan equation, fatigue crack, residual life of axle.