Analysis of Surface Crack Growth under Rolling Contact Fatigue in a Linear Contact

The surface crack growth under rolling contact fatigue in a bearing ring is investigated in this study. To study the fatigue crack propagation under rolling contact fatigue, a fatigue crack is observed in a tapered roller bearing ring. Then, a realistic three-dimensional model of a bearing ring containing a surface crack is established. Several parameters, such as the crack depth, inclination angle, and propagation direction, are varied to study their effects on rolling contact fatigue in the bearing ring in terms of stress intensity factor (SIF) calculations. The crack growth angle is also estimated by the maximum tangential stress criterion. The results provide valuable guidelines for enhanced understanding of the surface crack growth in bearings.