RESEARCH PAPER
Fretting-induced degradation of press-in connections during operation
1
Institute of Engineering, State University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sącz, Poland
2
Department of Transport and Handling Machines, Faculty of Mechanical Enginering, University of Zilina, Slovak Republic
A – Conceptualization; B – Methodology; C – Software; D – Validation; E – Formal analysis; F – Investigation; G – Resources; H – Data curation; I – Writing – original draft; J – Writing – review & editing; K – Visualization; L – Supervision; M – Project administration; N – Funding acquisition
Submission date: 2026-04-21
Final revision date: 2026-07-15
Acceptance date: 2026-09-04
Online publication date: 2026-09-10
Corresponding author
Sławomir Kowalski
Institute of Engineering, State University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sącz, Poland
Institute of Engineering, State University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sącz, Poland
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
This study analyses the degradation process of press-in connections operating under cyclic loading conditions, with particular emphasis on fretting wear. The aim of research was to identify the factors initiating damage and assess its influence on the service life of the connections. Experimental investigations conducted on shaft-sleeve models subjected to rotational bending revealed significant changes in the tribological properties within the contact zone, including an increase in the press-out force and the contact pressure and degradation of surface topography. A heterogeneous nature of fretting wear was observed, along with the presence of wear products in the form of iron oxides. It was found that fretting leads to the initiation of microcracks and a reduction in fatigue strength. The obtained results correspond to operational conditions similar to those encountered in rail vehicle wheel sets.
REFERENCES (35)
1.
Mohabeddine A, Correia J, Montenegro P A, De Jesus A, Castro J M, Calçada R, Berto F. An approach for predicting fatigue life of CFRP retrofitted metallic structural details. International Journal of Fatigue 2022; 154: 106557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfa....
2.
Zeng D, Meng Y, Dong Y, Zhang X, Zou L, Lu L. Fretting fatigue analysis and residual strength evaluation of railway axles containing defects of natural crack and micro-sinking. Engineering Fracture Mechanics 2025; 313: 110678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
3.
Helal W M K, Wang G X, Su Y P. Orthogonal Simulation Test for Evaluating Fretting Wear in Low-Speed Diesel Engine Connecting Rods. International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa 2025; 74: 101-114. https://doi.org/10.4028/p-Ua0q....
4.
Le Falher M, Fouvry S, Arnaud P, Maurel V, Antoni N. Fretting-fatigue of shrink fit lug-bush assemblies: Interference-fit effect. Tribology International 2023; 186: 108581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trib....
5.
Szkoda M., Michnej M. A method of fretting wear reduction in an automatic wheel set gauge change system. Engineering Failure Analysis 2014; 45: 363-375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
6.
Wang Z, Wang Z, Bai X, Zhang X, Wang Y. Effect of interference fit on dynamic characteristics of spindle rotor system. Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering 2022; 44: 316. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430....
7.
Ren Y, Cao J, Tang P, Yang P, Li M, Li Z, Peng J, Shen H, Fan X, Zhu M. Probing fretting wear behavior of gauge-changeable spline axle under rotational bending loads. Engineering Failure Analysis 2024; 166: 108846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
8.
Li T, Jiang C, Gong S, Song T, Zhang Y. The Influence of Structural Design Parameters on the Retention Force and Interference-Fit Reliability of Connecting Rod Bushings. Applied Science 2026; 16: 1843. https://doi.org/10.3390/app160....
9.
Zou L, Lu L, Li Y, Yang K, Zhao H, Dong Y, Zeng D. Experimental and numerical study on press-fitted railway axles: Fretting fatigue behaviour in the very high cycle regime. International Journal of Fatigue 2023; 166: 107243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfa....
10.
Zou L, Zeng D, Li Y, Yang K, Lu L, Yuan C. Experimental and numerical study on fretting wear and fatigue of full-scale railway axles. Railway Engineering Science 2020; 28(4): 365–381. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40534....
11.
Shu Y, Yang G, Liu Z, Dong L. High-speed train axle fretting fatigue scaling experiment research and damage analysis. Engineering Failure Analysis 2024; 162: 108317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
12.
Wang H, Zhang L, Zhang W, Li H, Chi H, Yang K, Zhou J, Ai L. Research on node-improved energy dissipation wear model for fretting fatigue prediction in railway press-fit shaft. Wear 2025; 574-575: 206104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear....
13.
Zhang Q, Zuo Y, Hu Z, Xu Y, Liu X. Advances and Challenges in Interference-Fit Technology for Enhancing the Mechanical Performance of Joints. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance 2025; 34: 3585–3607. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665....
14.
Pan A-X, Wen C, Wan H, Shi P, Bi Q, Jia X, Tao P, Liu X, Gong Y, Yang Z-G. Premature Fatigue Failure Analysis of Axle in Permanent Magnet Direct-Drive Electric Locomotive. Materials 2025; 18: 3747. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma1816....
15.
Zeng D, Dong Y, Zhao H, Guan M, Ren M, Li X, Zhang J, Lu L. Investigation on fretting fatigue crack initiation of scale press-fitted railway axle containing axial defects. Tribology International 2026; 216: 111581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trib....
16.
Shu Y, Liu Z, Yang G. Finite element simulation of fretting wear on railway axle press-fit specimens. Tribology International 2023; 178A: 108024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trib....
17.
Kowalski S. Application of dimensional analysis in the fretting wear studies. Journal of the Balkan Tribological Association 2016; 22(4-I): 3823–3835.
18.
Xu T, Lu L, Zeng D, Zou L. Fretting fatigue crack growth simulation and residual life assessment of railway press-fitted axle. Engineering Fracture Mechanics 2023; 286: 109290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
19.
Dong Y, Zeng D, Zhao H, Wu P, Song Y, Li X, Lu L. Fretting fatigue strength evaluation of scaled press-fitted railway axle containing a circumferential groove defect. International Journal of Fatigue 2025; 194: 108824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfa....
20.
Haragâș S, Buiga O, Tudose L. Experimantal validation of the new theoretical model of interference fits. Acta Technica Napocensis Series-Applied Mathematics Mechanics and Engineering 2023; 66 (II). 175-182.
21.
Zhang H, Liu Y, Dai S, Li F, Dong G. Optimization of boundary slip region on bearing sliders to improve tribological performance. Tribology International 2022; 168: 107446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trib....
22.
Izmailov V V, Novoselova M V. On Some Criteria Defining Fretting. Journal of Friction and Wear 2024;45: 267–273. https://doi.org/10.3103/S10683....
23.
Shu Y, Yang G, Liu Z. Experimental study on fretting damage in the interference fit area of high-speed train wheels and axles based on specimen. Engineering Failure Analysis 2022; 141: 106619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
24.
Suo H, Wei Z, Luo B, Wang L, Hang K, Liang B, Deng Cheng H. Interfacial wear damage mechanism between Ti-alloy and Al-alloy in interference-fit joint and influence of surface coatings: Experimental and numerical study. Engineering Failure Analysis 2023; 143B: 106931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
25.
Peng G, Huang X, Zhou L, Zhou G, Zhou H. Solid-liquid two-phase flow and wear analysis in a large-scale centrifugal slurry pump. Engineering Failure Analysis 2020; 114: 104602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
26.
Bian X, Wei C, Liu Y. Research on the fretting contact fatigue strength of interference fit in high speed rail traction motor shafts. Engineering Failure Analysis 2024; 157: 107875. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
27.
Chen X, Wang J, Lu L, Zou L, Xu T, Dong Y, Zhao H, Zeng D. Effect of interference magnitude on fretting wear and fatigue strength of scaled press-fitted railway axles. Wear 2024; 546-547: 205347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear....
28.
Li Y, Xie G, Sun X, Jingcao C, Wu X, Zhang Y, Yu C, Du P. A review on fretting wear/fatigue behavior, protective measures, and application examples of typical alloy materials. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part J: Journal of Engineering Tribology 2025; 239(10): 1261-1290. https://doi.org/10.1177/135065....
29.
Kowalski S. The Use of PVD Coatings for Anti-Wear Protection of the Press-In Connection Elements. Coatings 2024; 14(4): 432. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatin....
30.
Irena K A, Lemu H G, Kedir Y A. Effect of Interference Size on Contact Pressure Distribution of Railway Wheel Axle Press Fitting. Designs 2023; 7: 119. https://doi.org/10.3390/design....
31.
Okamura Y, Ikoma K, Nagatomo T. Preventive measures of fretting wear in railway axle bearings: Combined effect of grooving and amorphous carbon coating towards their backing rings. Engineering Failure Analysis 2022; 137: 106356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
32.
Xu G, Li X, Zhu Y. Support stiffness effects on damage behavior of thin-walled composite interference-fit joints in the installation. Engineering Failure Analysis 2024; 156: 107841. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engf....
33.
Michej M., Guzowski S. Fretting wear simulation in a clamped joint based on the example of a rail vehicle wheel set. Wear 2019; 438-439: 102654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear....
34.
K C G, V K, M S, R R, Panda R. Evaluating the effectiveness of interference fit connections in automotive transmission component design. Mechanics Based Design of Structures and Machines 2026; 54(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/153977....
35.
Ren Y, Cai Z, Nie H, Dong Y, Shen H, Xu X, Zhu M. Fretting wear behavior of different surface modified layers of a tight fit spline used for a gauge-changeable railway Vehicle. Tribology International 2024; 193: 109359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trib....
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
| eISSN: | 2956-3860 |
| ISSN: | 1507-2711 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
