using fatigue parameter to predict crack initiation location by means of 3dfinite element simulation on curved track

Dynamic modeling of wheel-rail interaction is significant in accurate fatigue analysis ofrailway. both location and magnitude of wheel-rail stress must be evaluated accurately andefficiently via computational tools. in curved railway tracks, distribution of the force exertedon the wheel is complex as it is multiaxial rather than uniaxial; thus, a more comprehensivecomputational model is required. in this work, a numerical procedure is developed toinvestigate fatigue crack initiation on curved tracks by using universal mechanism softwareto specify the spectrum of axial wheel force as input to a three dimensional explicit finiteelement model to obtain the resulting stress at the wheel-rail contact region. a critical planemethod based on low cyclic fatigue situation and multiaxial loading is used for determiningthe location of crack initiation and its orientation. the effect of radius on the exact location offatigue crack initiation is established in this approach. the proposed model successfullypredicts realistic wheel-rail dynamic response to cyclic loading, applying the geometry of thecurved track.