Simulation of fretting-fatigue life by using stress-singularity parameters and fracture mechanics

Fretting-fatigue cracks start very early in a fretting-fatigue life. The fretting-fatigue life is dominated by the propagation of small cracks. Therefore, predicting the start of fretting-fatigue cracking and the propagation of the cracks is a very important part of estimating fretting-fatigue strength and fretting-fatigue life. The start of a fretting-fatigue crack was estimated by using the stress-singularity parameters at the contact edges. The way in which the crack propagates was then estimated by using fracture-mechanics analysis, in which the wear on the contact surfaces and the direction of crack propagation were taken into account.