Abstract
In the present study, synchrotron radiation micro computed tomography (SR μCT) imaging of SPring-8 was applied to the observation of delamination defects in high-strength steels under rolling contact fatigue. The rolling contact fatigue crack initiation occurs under surface and these defects propagate to the surface. The conventional technique, such as optical microscope and scanning microscope, cannot give us the crack initiation and growth behavior under the surface. Therefore, the shape of rolling contact fatigue defects was observed by SR μCT imaging. The specimen with an artificial defect, which simulates an inclusion, was used to the contact rolling fatigue tests. The broken and non-broken specimens were observed respectively by SR μCT. The delamination defects and cracks can be detected from the artificial defetct. It is found from these results that the defect initiation and propagation behavior in the rolling contact fatigue process can be discussed from the measurements by SR μCT imaging. The number of crack, location and size of crack obtained by the CT imaging coincide with those by polishing and SEM measurements. It is found from these results that the defect initiation and propagation behavior in the rolling contact fatigue process can be discussed from the measurements by SR μCT imaging.
