ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: A concurrent multi-scale computational strategy for rail surface crack initiation analysis is introduced in current paper. It attempts to take advantage of the efficiency of macroscopic models and the accuracy of the mesoscopic models. The solving procedure is, through the coupling of individual approaches, beginning from the largest scale to the smaller scale, making use of multibody dynamic (MBS) simulation, explicit finite element (FEM) analysis, sub-modelling technique as well as crack initiation analysis. The main idea of the seamless handshaking algorithms at the interface of the respective approaches is presented. A unified description of crack initiation analysis is built up by linking the models at different scales. Moreover, the surface and sub-surface stress/strain distributions under the wheel-rail rolling contact loads are obtained from coupled simulations. Based on the stress/strain response, the critical plane orientation of surface crack initiation is predicted. It can be concluded that the proposed numerical procedure can provide much accurate and realistic outcomes for rail surface crack initiation analysis in comparison with performing an simulation only on one scale level.
