Paper 10: Metallurgical Aspects of Rolling Contact Fatigue

Abstract

Metallurgical investigations aided by electron microscopy and associated techniques have been carried out on failed test specimens and bearings from service, to obtain information of use in the elucidation of the mechanisms of failure. Investigations have revealed that cracks initiating rolling contact fatigue can start at the surface and spread into the material, or start below the surface and spread outwards, the more dominant mechanism depending upon prevailing circumstances. Metallographic changes in surface material owing to rolling and sliding action, and subsurface microstructural changes at depths associated with the region of maximum Hertzian shearing stress can influence the mechanism of failure. Environment can affect the rate of crack propagation and mode of fracture; hydrogen embrittlement can be a contributory factor in catastrophic fracture, and non-metallic inclusions can have a dominant effect on the incidence of failure.