Three-Dimensional Analyses by Finite Element Method of a Spur Gear: Effect of Cracks in the Teeth Foot on the Mesh Stiffness

In this paper, a finite element method with a three-dimensional survey is presented. The effect of crack dimension and the direction of crack propagation, in the teeth foot, on the mesh stiffness is studied. For spur gears, the mesh stiffness is affected in a meaningful manner by the presence of a foot crack of one or more teeth. This study is an attempt to estimate the effect of crack size, position, and direction on the spectrum of the gear mesh stiffness.