Abstract
Fracture took place on the upper-edge of one side of the bearing outer-ring used in a locomotive wheel in service, and two small pieces had separated from the outer-ring. The fractographic study indicates that the fracture mode is of instantaneous initial cracking and fatigue propagation. Fracture of the edge was caused by abnormally high contact loading on the upper-end of one race of the bearing cup. Extensive spalling is present on the upper part of the raceway of the broken side of the bearing outer-ring, and the surface contact fatigue is its primary failure mode. The occurrence of a large inclined load on the raceway of one side of outer-ring is responsible for the serious spalling damage on the raceway of the outer-ring.
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Xu, Xl., Yu, Zw. & Yang, Z. Contact Fatigue Damage and Fracture Failure of a Bearing Outer-Race Used on a Locomotive Wheelset. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 12, 375–381 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-012-9572-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-012-9572-2