Application of experimental results to numerical models of fatigue cracks propagating in the rolling contact zone

The paper presents numerical models of the "squat" type crack serving as an example of the RCF (Rolling Contact Fatigue) crack that appears in railheads. In developing these models, one took into account the results of experimental investigations. Several types of experiments were done: in situ measurements of the crack growing rate and the real shape of the contact zone between the worn rail and wheel, measurements of shapes of the real crack in macro- and micro-scales and crack thickness distribution, interactions between crack faces. The results obtained by means of the developed numerical models facilitate understanding of fracture processes and contribute to more precise predictions of the lifetime.