Fracture behavior analysis and fatigue assessment of the spring clip in heavy‐haul railway

• Published in: Fatigue & fracture of engineering materials & structures 2024-10, Vol.47 (10), p.3658-3672
• Main Authors: Wang, Yu‐Xuan, Xiao, Wen‐Jun, Wang, Zhi‐Feng, Liu, Yong, Wang, Er‐Bo, Chang, Hong‐Tao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clips; Crack geometry; Crack initiation; crack propagation; Criteria; Fatigue cracks; Fatigue failure; fatigue life; Fatigue life assessment; finite element method; fracture behavior; Fracture mechanics; spring clip; Vibration analysis
• ISSN: 8756-758X; 1460-2695
• DOI: 10.1111/ffe.14401

This paper proposes a novel method based on a numerical simulation approach and fatigue fracture theory to analyze the fracture behavior and assess the fatigue life of spring clips. To this end, the finite element (FE) model of the vehicle‐track‐foundation system was developed including the key parts of the type II fastening system. Meanwhile, the spring clip FE model was validated through the natural vibration characteristics. Subsequently, the numerical simulations were performed under various working conditions to obtain the fatigue characteristics of the spring clips. The fatigue crack initiation life and damage were analyzed using FE results for the spring clips with ε‐N curve and Brown‐Miller criterion. Moreover, based on the initial crack geometry of the spring clips, the maximum circumferential stress criterion with the Paris equation was employed to analyze the crack extension behavior and assess the fatigue crack extension life. Highlights A novel approach is developed for fatigue assessment of spring clip. A FE model of vehicle‐track‐foundation system was built including fastening system. The Fracture behavior of the spring clip was reproduced. Fatigue characteristic of spring clips subjected to axle load is studied.