Analysis of frictional heating and thermal expansion in a disc brake using COMSOL

Abstract

Abstract This work illustrates the modeling of frictional heating in a disc brake of a car using COMSOL Multiphysics software. Finite element analysis technique is used to predict the frictional heat, temperature distribution and variation in disc thickness of the disc brake. The parameters for the disc and pad were selected from the existing literature. A three dimensional model of disc brake has been created and simulated. The model simulates the dynamics and frictional heating between pad and disc. The frictional heat is computed in the multibody dynamics module of the COMSOL while as temperature distribution is computed by the heat transfer module. Also stresses and disc thickness variation is computed utilizing solid mechanics module. The results obtained from the simulation provide a clear justification of the use of the COMSOL Multiphysics for the evaluation of frictional heat and thermal expansion.