Numerical stress analysis and rolling contact fatigue of White Etching Layer on rail steel

White Etching Layer is a phenomenon that occurs on the surface of rails due to wheel/rail interactions such as excessive braking and acceleration. We have investigated rolling contact fatigue damage and the behavior of WEL using the twin disc test and Finite Element analysis. WEL was simulated by wheel flat tests. Two types of cracks were observed to occur within WEL specimens after the rolling contact test. The shortest fatigue life from Finite Element and fatigue analysis was evaluated using the starting point of WEL, and the results were consistent with those from contact fatigue tests.