Mode 2 fracture mechanics

Current development of high-performance rolling element bearings for aircraft engines (up to 3 million DN, where DN is the product of shaft diameter in millimeters and speed in revolutions per minute) has aroused concern about fatigue crack growth in the inner bearing race that leads to catastrophic failure of the bearing and the engine. A failure sequence was postulated by Srawley, and an analytical program was undertaken to simulate fatigue crack propagation in the inner raceway of such a bearing. A fatigue specimen was developed at NASA by which fatigue data may be obtained relative to the cracking problems. The specimen may be used to obtain either mode 2 data alone or a combination of mixed-mode (1 and 2) data as well and was calibrated in this regard. Mixed-mode fracture data for M-50 bearing steel are presented, and a method for performing reversed-loading tests is described.