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A Cellular Automaton Approach to Numerically Simulate the Contact Situation in Disc Brakes

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Abstract

Since brake wear is an important contributor to the concentration of airborne particles in urban atmospheres, it is important to increase our understanding of the origin of these particles. The contact situation between the pad and disc is complicated. Metal fibres in the pad (or other hard materials) form stable contact plateaus, which carry the main part of the load. A flow of wear particles in the boundary layer between the pad and disc partially stack up against these plateaus (and increase their area), and some will escape from the contact and become airborne. The purpose of this article is to investigate the possibility to numerically simulate the contact situation in the boundary layer between the pad and disc and the amount of wear that leaves the contact using a cellular automaton approach. To do so, the contact pressure, pad temperature and wear are determined in that order. Based on these results, the creation, growth and destruction of contact plateaus are simulated using a cellular automaton model. Finally, the amount of wear that leaves the contact is determined. The simulated behaviour of the contact situation correlates qualitatively with experimental observations found in the literature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Royal Institute of Technology, Machine Design, SE 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden

    J. Wahlström, A. Söderberg & U. Olofsson

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  1. J. Wahlström
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  2. A. Söderberg
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  3. U. Olofsson
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Correspondence to J. Wahlström.

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Wahlström, J., Söderberg, A. & Olofsson, U. A Cellular Automaton Approach to Numerically Simulate the Contact Situation in Disc Brakes. Tribol Lett 42, 253–262 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-011-9772-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-011-9772-z

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