Establishment of New Rolling Contact Bearing Life Calculation Method.

Improved rolling contact bearing spalling fatigue life prediction model will be formulated in the following steps: survey recent published models; compare their input parameter set and structure; extract a consensus set of influential input parameters; create model structure; prepare computerized method for numerical life prediction using this model. Model architecture studies recently completed by this proposer representing a model approach encompassing most consensus input parameters will be used as one, but not the only, point of departure. Observational bearing fatigue life data collected from Industry and other institutions, will be processed into a database for use in model validation. Statistical methods for life model validation will be designed and used to test the predictive power of the proposed model against collected observational data. The model will be refined based on validation results and documented for use in a followup Phase II effort.