It is known that the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) material has superior thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. This material is used for manufacturing products and components of air heaters, hydrogen reformers, cracking furnaces, fired heaters, etc. This work is aimed at searching for the optimal sintering mode of YSZ ceramics that provides a high crack growth resistance. Beam specimens of ZrO2 ceramics doped with 6, 7, and 8 mol% Y2O3 (hereinafter: 6YSZ, 7YSZ, and 8YSZ) were prepared using a conventional sintering technique. Four sintering temperatures (1450 °C, 1500 °C, 1550 °C, and 1600 °C) were used for the 6YSZ series and two sintering temperatures (1550 °C and 1600 °C) were used for the 7YSZ and 8YSZ series. The series of sintered specimens were ground and polished to reach a good surface quality. Several mechanical tests of the materials were performed, namely, the microhardness test, fracture toughness test by the indentation method, and single-edge notch beam (SENB) test under three-point bending. Based on XRD analysis, the phase balance (percentages of tetragonal, cubic, and monoclinic ZrO2 phases) of each composition was substantiated. The morphology of the fracture surfaces of specimens after both the fracture toughness tests was studied in relation to the mechanical behavior of the specimens and the microstructure of corresponding materials. SEM-EDX analysis was used for microstructural characterization. It was found that both the yttria percentage and sintering temperature affect the mechanical behavior of the ceramics. Optimal chemical composition and sintering temperature were determined for the studied series of ceramics. The maximum transformation toughening effect was revealed for ZrO2-6 mol% Y2O3 ceramics during indentation. However, in the case of a SENB test, the maximum transformation toughening effect in the crack tip vicinity was found in ZrO2-7 mol% Y2O3 ceramics. The conditions for obtaining YSZ ceramics with high fracture toughness are discussed.

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Purpose: To investigate the fatigue crack growth at normal tension and transverse shear of 65G steel with the high tempered martensite microstructure and to build an appropriate fatigue crack growth rate curves. To determine the main and auxiliary fatigue crack growth resistance characteristics, which are necessary for machine parts life-time estimation at rolling contact fatigue conditions. Design/methodology/approach: For determination of fatigue crack growth resistance at normal tension a standard compact specimens with edge crack were tested using a hydraulic testing machine and fatigue testing at transverse shear were performed on the I-beam specimens with the edge longitudinal crack using the original testing setup. For crack growth measurement an optical cathetometer B-630 was used. The crack growth rate V was calculated as crack length increment during loading cycles. The stress intensity factor range K was determined by dependence "K = (1 – R)Kmax accordingly to the standard test methods. To establish crack faces friction factor at transverse shear fragments of fractured beam specimen containing crack faces were cut out and tested as a friction pair according to Amontons Coulomb's law. On the base of test results the fatigue crack growth rate curves in logarithmic coordinates "K vs. V were built. These graphical dependencies for normal tension and transverse shear were used for determination of fatigue crack growth resistance characteristics: fatigue threshold "Kth, fracture toughness "Kfc, "K1-2 and "K2-3 which indicates the beginning and the end of middle-amplitude region of curve, "K*, parameters C and n of Paris’s equation. Metallographic and fractographic analyses were performed on the scanning electronic microscope Zeiss EVO 40XVP. Findings: Empirical dependences of the stress intensity factor range on fatigue crack growth rate at normal tension and transverse shear of 65G steel with the high tempered martensite microstructure are obtained. Based on these graphical dependencies the fatigue thresholds and fracture toughness as well as the parameters of Paris’s equation are determined. Research limitations/implications: The fatigue crack growth on 65G steel under low-, medium- and high-amplitude cyclic loading at normal tension and transverse shear was investigated. The fatigue crack growth rate values for a wide range of stress intensity factor are estimated. On the base of fractographical analysis the features of fracture of high tempered martensite in 65G steel at transverse shear are studied. It is shown that the transverse shear crack faces friction factor for high tempered martensite structure is less than for low tempered martensite. Practical implications: Using the fatigue crack growth resistance characteristics of 65G steel at normal tension and transverse shear and related fatigue crack growth rate curves it is possible to predict the life-time of machine parts made of steels with high tempered martensite structure, working at rolling contact fatigue conditions. Originality/value: Complete fatigue crack growth rate curves of 65G steel with tempered martensite structure at normal tension and transverse shear are built and the fatigue crack growth resistance characteristics for both modes of fracture are determined for the first time.

Purpose: The aim of the proposed research is to establish experimentally the relation between damaging of the tread surface of model wheels and the characteristics of fatigue crack growth resistance of wheel steels "KI th, "KII th, "KI fc, "KII fc), depending on its microstructure. Design/methodology/approach: Characteristics of the fatigue crack growth resistance have been determined on the specimens cut out from the hot rolled plate of thickness 10 mm of the steel which is an analogue of railway wheel steels. To obtain different steel microstructures and its strength level, test specimens were quenched (820°C, in oil) and then tempered at 400°C, 500°C, and 600°C for 2 h. The characteristics of Mode I fatigue crack growth resistance of steel were determined on the basis of fatigue macrocrack growth rate diagrams da/dN–"KI, obtained by the standard method on compact specimens with the thickness of 10 mm at a frequency of 10-15 Hz and the stress ratio R = 0.1 of the loading cycle. The characteristics of Mode II fatigue crack growth resistance were determined on the basis of da/dN–"KII diagrams, obtained by authors method on edge notched specimens with the thickness 3.2 mm at a frequency of 10-15 Hz and R = –1 taking account of the crack face friction. The hardness was measured with a TK-2 hardness meter. Zeiss-EVO40XVP scanning electron microscope was used for microstructural investigations. Rolling contact fatigue testing was carried out on the model specimens of a wheel of thickness 8 mm and diameter 40 mm in contact with a rail of length 220 mm, width 8 mm and height 16 mm. Wheels were manufactured form the above-described steel after different treatment modes. Rails were cut out from a head the full-scale rail of hardness 46 HRC. The damaging was assessed by a ratio of the area with gaps formed by pitting and spalling to the general area of the wheel tread surface using a special stand. Findings: The growth of the damage of the tread surface of the model wheels correlates uniquely with the decrease of the cyclic fracture toughness of the wheel steel "KI fc and "KII fc, determined at Mode I and Mode II fracture mechanisms. These characteristics of the wheel steel can be considered as the determining parameter of this process, in contrast to the fatigue thresholds "KI th and "KII th. Research limitations/implications: Investigations were conducted on model wheels that simulate the damage of real railway wheels tread surface. Practical implications: A relationship between the damage of tread surface of railway wheels and the strength level of wheel steels is determined. Originality/value: The damage of the tread surface of the model wheels during the rolling contact fatigue of the pair wheel-rail increases with the growth of the strength (hardness) of the wheel steel, which corresponds to the statistical data of the operation of the real railway wheels.

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