Contact fatigue : life prediction and palliatives

Abstract

Fretting fatigue is defined as damage resulting from small magnitude (0.5-50 microns) displacement between contacting bodies where at least one of the bodies has an applied bulk stress. The applicability and limits of a fracture mechanics based life prediction is explored. Comparisons are made against highly controlled experiments and less controlled but more realistic experiments using a novel dovetail attachment fixture. Surface engineering approaches are examined from a mechanics perspective. Using a new tool, depth sensing indentation, the mechanical properties of an aluminum bronze coating are determined. Fretting fatigue experiments are performed on specimens coated with aluminum bronze and on specimens treated with low plasticity burnishing. Low plasticity burnishing is a new method of introducing beneficial compressive residual stresses without significant cold work at the surface. A mechanics based approach to the selection of palliatives is addressed.