Numerical investigation of the spall opening angle of surface initiated rolling contact fatigue

•Effects of friction and inclination angle on the spall opening angle were studied.•A new three-dimensional crack geometry for numerical modelling was introduced.•Crack arrest due to crack closure was proposed as explaining mechanism for the spall opening angle.•The asperity point load mechanism for surface initiated RCF was further validated. The spall opening angle was studied for surface initiated rolling contact fatigue with the purpose to allow assessment of the volume of detached material. The influence of friction and the crack inclination angle on the damage spread in the contact surface was investigated with the asperity point load mechanism and a simplified three-dimensional rolling contact fatigue load. Crack arrest due to crack closure was proposed as explaining mechanism for the spall opening angle of the typical v-shaped or arrowhead crack configurations. A new three-dimensional crack geometry was presented allowing the study of the spalling surface morphology in a gear application. Stress intensity factors along the crack front were computed using the eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) implemented in Abaqus (6.12). Both low crack inclination angles and increased friction resulted in larger spall opening angles. For cracks with small inclination angles the effects of increased friction on the spall opening angle appeared however very little. The findings increase understanding of the surface morphology and the damage process and further motivate the asperity point load mechanism as an important source for surface initiated RCF damage.