Fatigue Strength of White Metal Lining on Steel Plate

Plane bending fatigue tests are carried out on a white metal lining on a steel plate to clarify the fatigue failure of plain bearings under fluctuating loads. The fatigue strength of the metal is discussed in terms of the crack propagation rate under various test conditions. The fatigue strength is affected by lining thickness, operating temperature, and the viscosity and activity of the lubricating oil. From the analysis of each factor, the following are known quantitively. The effect of lining thickness is due to the binding of strain at the tip of fatigue cracks. The effect of the operating temperature is due to the variation of physico-chemical properties of lubricants as well as the variation of mechanical properties of the metal. The viscosity of lubricant varies the oil pressure in the wedge of the crack where the oil penetrates according to its viscosity. The fatigue strength of the metal is also decreased by the chemical adsorption of lubricants at the tip of fatigue cracks.