ABSTRACT
There have been developed some theoretical models of crack behavior under action of contact load Kaneta et al. [1, 2], Murakami et al. [3], Kudish [4, 5], Xu and Hsia [6], Panasyuk, Datsyshin, and Marchenko [7] and references therein). Most of these models take into account only subsurface cracks and assume that cracks are completely open. Ultimately, the way the crack configuration is accounted for affects the stress intensity factors and the stress fields near crack tips, crack propagation, and fatigue life. Moreover, an adequate solution of the problem cannot be obtained without some boundary conditions, which prevent crack faces from overlapping and prevent tensile stress from developing on crack faces. Therefore, there is still a need in an accurate predictive model for subsurface cracks.
