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Numerical modelling of micro‐pitting of gear teeth flanks
Author(s) -
FAJDIGA G.,
FLAŠKER J.,
GLODEŽ S.,
HELLEN T. K.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
fatigue and fracture of engineering materials and structures
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1460-2695
pISSN - 8756-758X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1460-2695.2003.00711.x
Subject(s) - materials science , finite element method , discretization , mechanics , crack closure , fracture mechanics , structural engineering , lubrication , crack tip opening displacement , residual stress , composite material , engineering , mathematics , physics , mathematical analysis
A two‐dimensional computational model for simulation of contact fatigue of gear teeth flanks is presented. In the model, it is assumed that the initial crack of length 0.015 mm is initiated at the surface due to previous mechanical or heat treatment of the material as well as a consequence of the running in process. The discretized model with the initial crack is then subjected to normal contact pressure, which takes into account the elasto‐hydro‐dynamic (EHD) lubrication conditions, and tangential loading due to friction between contacting surfaces. The model also considers the moving contact of gear flanks, fluid trapped in the crack and residual stresses due to heat treatment of the material on crack propagation. The virtual crack extension (VCE) method, implemented in the finite element method, is then used for simulating the fatigue crack growth from the initial crack up to the formation of the surface pit. The computational results show that the initial surface crack of length 15 μm and the considered boundary conditions lead to the appearance of very small surface pits, which can be termed as micro‐pitting on gear teeth flanks. The numerical results correspond well with available experimental data.