Role of layer thickness and grain size contrast in rolling contact fatigue of coarse/fine-grained layered materials: a crystal plasticity study
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Heterogeneous layered materials combine high strength and ductility, offering improved damage tolerance under tribological loading. Among the key microstructural factors, layer thickness and grain size contrast have a critical influence on the mechanical behavior during rolling contact fatigue (RCF). A crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) model was developed to simulate rolling contact responses in coarse-grained (CG)/fine-grained (FG) layered structures. The simulations reveal that layer thickness modulates strain localization, dislocation activity, and damage evolution in a sliding-orientation-dependent manner. FG layers serve as barriers to strain transmission and suppress damage propagation from adjacent CG layers. Furthermore, dislocation partitioning at CG/FG interfaces promotes strain delocalization and enhances RCF resistance. These findings provide mechanistic insights for optimizing layered microstructure design for advanced tribological applications.
Date Issued
2025-12-01
Date Acceptance
2025-07-14
Citation
Tribology International, 2025, 212
ISSN
0301-679X
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Tribology International
Volume
212
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
110993
Date Publish Online
2025-07-16