Combined Thermal and Mechanical Analysis of Drum Brakes

Abstract

The frictional heat generated during braking is included in the full analysis of a commercial vehicle drum brake, avoiding artificial heat partitioning by the use of a novel technique for the dynamic simulation of heat transfer at the friction interface. The effects of lining wear, empirically related to local values of surface temperature and pressure, together with thermo-elastic effects, are taken account of in the calculation of interface pressure distributions and consequent brake performance. Analyses have been completed using two-dimensional finite element meshes which model the combined assembly of brake shoes, linings and drum. These have been validated by comparisons between measured and calculated brake performance, and by observations of rubbing contact pattern.