Fatigue Crack Paths 2003

(a)

z

x

z

I

x

II

Step 1

III

z

x

Step 2

Step 3

(b)

z

α

x

(c)

Figure 6. a) Analysed points for the leading tip; b) the convention for co-ordinate axes;

c) convention for kinking angle “α”.

80

real

KI

70

KII

60

50

40

230

10

0

-100

-50

0

50

100

αα[degree]

Figure 7. Leading tip at Step 1: Variation of KI and KII with the kink angle.

140

real

KI

120

KII

100

80

60

40

20

0

-50

100

-100

0

50

αα [degree]

Figure 8. Leading tip at Step 2: Variation of KI and KII with the kink angle.

C O N C L U D IRNEGM A R KASN DF U T U RWE O R K

The propagation of fatigue crack paths in welded rails have been analysed. It was

confirmed, by both S E Mobservations and Finite Element analysis, that this kind of