Abstract
The procedure for the fatigue crack initiation life prediction of railway rails has been developed. It consists of finite element (FE) analyses that account for the local material response generated by the contact load between wheel and rail. The Chaboche model was used to simulate the material response that was important in rolling contact situations. The results obtained from FE analyses were combined with the theory of critical distance and the modified Wohler curve method to predict fatigue crack initiation life in the railhead. The predictions were compared to the data obtained from the investigation in the field.
