Computer Simulations on the Thermal Behaviors of a Friction Pad in High-Speed Train Disk Brakes

The thermal behaviors of disk-pad braking models has been analyzed for a high-speed train brake system using the coupled thermal-mechanical analysis technique. The temperature distribution, thermal distortion, and contact stress in the disk-pads contact model have been investigated as functions of the convective heat transfer rate. The FEM results indicate that multiple spot type pads show more stabilized thermal characteristics compared with those of the flat type pads for the increased convective heat transfer rate. The maximum contact stress for a friction pad loaded against a rubbing disk was occurred on the edge of the pad at the disk-pad interface.