A three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analysis (FEA) is carried out to estimate the rolling contact fatigue (RCF) crack initiation life for varied slip range on the rail arising from operational variations. The wheel load produces Hertzian contact pressure. Variation in engine traction induces slip variations that evolves thermal load in terms of heat flux. The aperiodic rolling of wheel on rail develops non-proportional multiaxial fatigue loading. Present study combines these effects by translating the wheel load on rail for multiple (twelve) pass in presence of thermal load, contact pressure and traction through a proposed simulation. The temperature dependent Chaboche material model with nonlinear kinematic hardening law is implemented to estimate the stresses and plastic strains governing the multiaxial fatigue condition at the interface. The location of maximum von Mises stress, found at a material point on or a layer below the rail-head, contemplates the fatigue crack initiation site. A coded search algorithm helps to identify the critical plane of crack initiation corresponding to the maximum fatigue parameter (FP). In contrast to available predictions of RCF life considering contact pressure and/or traction or frictional heat in isolation, present study combines all these loads together and provides a more realistic result by numerical simulation.
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