Analysis of Crack Initiation and Fatigue Life on Light Rail Transit (LRT) Wheel Tread Profile: A Finite Element Approach.
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Date
2025-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The conditions within which railroad wheels operate, damage to their treads is inevitable. The damage ranges between minor (scratches) to major (fatigue cracks). This has advocated for studies and investigations into the various parameters that lead to their damage; included among the parameters is crack initiation (formation), propagation, and fatigue. This study, aimed at not only looking into the parameters that influence crack initiation but also dwell into investigations into the effects of varying the loading conditions and crack orientation on the stress distributions at the wheel tread surface and thereafter the effects of varying the crack lengths in the region of maximum stress concentration to the fatigue life cycles (cycles per mm growth). The research employs a model developed in SOLIDWORKS modelling software, and analyzed using both ANSYS and FRANC3D tools. Results showed that maximum stress occurs when cracks are aligned in the direction of motion, exceeding the material's ultimate tensile strength at overload capacity. Fatigue life analysis further revealed a strong dependency of the cycles on crack length. The study underscores the role of stress intensity factors and crack length in predicting fatigue life cycles.
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Keywords
Crack Initiation, Crack Orientation, Stress Distribution, Fatigue Life, Railroad Wheel Tread surface, Finite Element Approach.