In order to evaluate crack propagation property at the wheelseat of normalized axles equipped with most of rolling stocks running on existing narrow gauge lines, fatigue tests were conducted on normalized axles with artificial flaws of various depths. Although some cracks initiated from the bottom of each artificial flaw created on the wheelseats of the test axle carried out at the nominal stress of 80Mpa, fretting fatigue cracks progressed to main cracks and led to the failure at the gear-side wheelseat. The evaluation results of crack propagation property by the calculated stress intensity factor range in view of fracture mechanics corresponded with the fatigue test results.

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