On the Mechanics of Crack Initiation and Propagation in Elasto-Plastic Materials in Impact Fretting Wear

Abstract

Normal and oblique impact wear processes are characterized by unique features, which include the development of some residual stress components that vanish in unidirectional sliding. Parametric finite element analyses were conducted to estimate the likelihood locations for crack initiation, and the subsequent direction and rate of crack propagation in an elasto-plastic material with bi-linear isotropic hardening properties. The results showed that the increase in contact pressure can cause a significant increase in the size of the plastically deformed crack initiation zone and allows it to reach the surface. Such behavior is not predicted under continuous sliding conditions. The presence of surface friction forces in oblique impact, can also result in the development of a secondary region of high tensile stresses at the contact area. Using the crack tip slip displacement CTSD method, the rate of crack growth was found to be linearly proportional to the crack length, and significantly dependent on the contact pressure and the coefficient of friction at the crack surface. The small effect of the coefficient of friction at the micro-contact area on wear suggests that the effect of shear traction is mainly due to the increase in the depth of the crack nucleation zone. As expected, the increase of the material flow stress with strain-hardening has a wear reducing effect.