Finite element assessment of crack initiation and out-of-phase effect on the material behaviour under contact mechanics

Purpose This study aims to focus on finite element analysis (FEA) utilising the ABAQUS software program to examine the factors affecting the lifespan of titanium alloy materials in contact. FEA will be used to analyse local fretting variables, including stress, strain and displacement. The contact half-width and other variables will be studied under varying contact loads at different load steps to predict fretting fatigue in terms of fatigue life, crack initiation location and crack initiation orientation. Design/methodology/approach The input data for this study were gathered from previous experimental studies conducted on a titanium alloy material commonly used in the compressor and turbine sections of aircraft engines. Four phase angles were used to assess the impact of out-of-phase on fretting fatigue behaviour. The parameters necessary to predict material fatigue life and crack initiation were estimated and examined at different steps and under varying contact loads. The commercial software program, ABAQUS, was employed and the model was validated by comparing it with experimental results, analytical solution and the Ruiz program. Findings The study demonstrated a high level of agreement among the FEA results, the Ruiz program and other experimental studies. This finding indicates a significant 145% increase in fatigue life for the out-of-phase condition compared to the in-phase condition. Originality/value The use of numerical methods is crucial for efficiently and cost-effectively predicting such behaviour. The developed FEA is valuable for predicting material life and crack initiation.