Assessment of Thermomechanical Couplings in Tribological Surface Transformations: Application to the Irreversible Near-Surface Solid-Solid Phase Transformations

Grégory Antoni

doi:10.5402/2013/525708

Abstract

Tribological Surface Transformations (TSTs), which are irreversible near-surface solid-solid phase transformations, tend to occur on railroads frequented by heavy freight trains. The present study is proposed to assess the contribution of thermomechanical coupling processes to the emergence and development of TSTs near the surface of the rails.

Highlights

Tribological Surface Transformations (TSTs), which are irreversible near-surface solid-solid phase transformations, tend to occur on railroads frequented by heavy freight trains
The present study is proposed to assess the contribution of thermomechanical coupling processes to the emergence and development of TSTs near the surface of the rails
The irreversible quasi-surface solid-solid phase transformations known as Tribological Surface Transformations (TSTs), which occur near the surface of rails [1,2,3], are induced by contact fatigue processes [4, 5], occurring after the passing of several trains on the rail tread

Summary

Introduction

The irreversible quasi-surface solid-solid phase transformations known as Tribological Surface Transformations (TSTs), which occur near the surface of rails [1,2,3], are induced by contact fatigue processes [4, 5], occurring after the passing of several trains on the rail tread. 2. A Thermodynamic Framework for Modelling Irreversible Near-Surface Solid-Solid Phase Transformations. The constitutive equations involved in the thermomechanical model for irreversible solid-solid phase transformations [6] are recalled:. Based on the assumption that TSTs are induced by “strong” thermomechanical coupling—the combined effects of the temperature and mechanical processes—the heat equation can be written as follows (see [7]), taking Ṫ to denote the increase in the temperature: ρCε. Note that the thermodynamic consistency of this thermomechanical model was checked in our previous study [6]

Heat Equation

Thermoelastic Coupling

H2: Fourier’s law is adopted:

Conclusion