Effect of contact forces on fretting fatigue behavior of bolted plates: Numerical and experimental analysis

This paper describes the effect of contact forces on the fretting fatigue behavior of bolted plates. Both fretting fatigue experiments and numerical simulation with FEM and SEM/EDS observations and analysis were carried out. With the increase of contact forces, the sites of crack initiation change from the edge of the central hole to close the border of contact and the fretting fatigue life increases. The local stresses and the relative displacement in the contact zone are two principal factors which influence the fretting fatigue behavior. A Map of Material Response (MMP) was determined basing on obtained results can describe the behavior of the fretting fatigue damage and predict the conditions which conduct to cracking initiation and propagation.

► Development of an equipped fretting fatigue pad with seventh strain gauges. ► Detection and localization of surface degradation and crack initiation. ► The fretting fatigue behavior changes significantly with the clamping forces. ► The fretting fatigue live depends on local stresses and the relative displacement. ► The proposed (MMR) can describe the behavior in the fretting fatigue conditions.