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Thermal Analysis of Disc brake made of Different Materials

Article · June 2016

DOI: 10.14445/23488360/IJME-V3I6P102

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 SSRG International Journal of Mechanical Engineering (SSRG-IJME) – volume 3 Issue 6 – June 2016

Thermal Analysis of Disc brake made of

Different Materials
Lemi Abebe#1, Ramesh Babu Nallamothu#2, K.H.S Subrahmanyam#3 , Seshu Kishan Nallamothu#4,
Anantha Kamal Nallamothu#5
#1
Research Scholar, Mechanical Systems and Vehicle Engineering Program, Adama Science and Technology University,
Adama, Ethiopia.
#2
Associate Professor, Mechanical Systems and Vehicle Engineering Program, Adama Science and Technology University,
PoBox: 1888,Adama, Ethiopia.
#3
Professor, Department of Mathematics, Adama Science and Technology University, PoBox: 1888, Adama, Ethiopia.
#4
Department of Automobile Engineering, SRM University, Chennai, India.
#5
VIT University, Vellore, India.

Abstract – Brake disc rotor is an important kinetic energy of the vehicle into heat through friction
component of disc brake assembly which is used to acting between brake pads and the rotor. So the
decelerate or stop the vehicle. When brakes are efficiency of the brake system depends on the amount
applied the temperature of the brake disc increases of friction between the pads and the rotor and how
and is subjected to thermal stresses. So a careful well the generated heat gets dissipated into
design and material selection is necessary to avoid the surroundings failing which may lead to the failure of
premature failure of the disc brake. An attempt is the brake system due to overheating and thermal
made to analyse the brake disc using analytical as stresses developed thereby. Brake system assembly
well as finite element analysis for its temperature as includes the parts like calliper, piston and cylinder,
well as thermal stress distribution. Four different pads and rotor [1,2].
materials were selected for this purpose namely cast
iron, maraging steel, Aluminium metal matrix II. MATERIAL OF ROTOR DISC OF DISC BRAKE
composites and E-Glass. By using vehicle Greenhouse gas emission from the vehicle is the
specifications the parameters like brake torque, heat major challenge faced by automotive industries.
flux and single stop temperature were calculated. Lighter the vehicle, lesser will be the fuel
Maximum temperatures were calculated for all the consumption. With reduction in fuel consumption
materials using analytical method as well as finite leads to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. An every
element analysis. Maximum principal stresses were effort is made by automotive industries to reduce the
also calculated using both analytical as well as finite weight of the vehicles by using low weight materials
element analysis. The results obtained were compared for the construction various parts of the vehicle. The
and found that ALMMC has less temperature and less usage of aluminum which is a well-known low weight
stress. So it is concluded that ALMMC is the most material increased in automobile manufacturing
appropriate material among all four material selected industries. Reduction in the weight improves fuel
for brake disc. economy and reduces emissions. Composite materials
provide good strength t weight ratio. Aluminum alloy
Keywords — Brake disc; Material selection, based metal matrix composites with ceramic
Analytical analysis, Finite element method. . particulate can be used for disc rotor of a disc brake
system [3,4].
I. INTRODUCTION Composite material reinforcement has shown great
One of the most important active safety features of promise for such applications. Aluminum based
automobile is a disc brake assembly which is located composite materials having a lower density and higher
on the front axle. Brake disc rotor is the important thermal conductivity as compared to the
component of the disc brake system. For safe driving conventionally used gray cast iron. If the aluminum
the brake system is to be good enough to provide safe composite materials are used in brake system a weight
and repeatable stopping. Brake pads which are made reduction of 50 – 60% can be expected. Also it is
up of friction materials are to be pressed against disc observed that these composite materials have the
rotor on both sides hydraulically by using brake potential to perform better under severe service
caliper device. When friction pads are pressed against conditions like higher speed, higher load etc. which
the disc, the kinetic energy of the vehicle gets are increasingly being encountered in modern
converted into heat and the vehicle gets decelerated. automobiles. Since brake disc or rotor is a crucial
The heat generated dissipates into surroundings. So component from safety point of view, materials used
brake systems work with the principle of converting for brake systems should have stable and reliable
frictional and wear properties under varying

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 SSRG International Journal of Mechanical Engineering (SSRG-IJME) – volume 3 Issue 6 – June 2016

conditions of load, velocity, temperature and Following material Properties were selected for the
environment, and high durability. There are several modified Disc Brakes.
factors to be considered when selecting a brake disc
material [5]. The ability of brake disc material to A. Cast Iron and its Properties
withstand high friction and abrasive wear is the Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but
important criteria. The brake disc must have enough identifies a large group of ferrous alloys, which
thermal storage capacity to prevent distortion or solidify with a eutectic. Iron accounts for more than
cracking from thermal stress until the heat can be 95%, while the main alloying elements are carbon and
dissipated. This criteria is very crucial in repeated silicon. The amount of carbon in cast iron is the range
stops from high speeds but not so important in single 2.1-4%, as ferrous alloys with less are denoted carbon
stop. Commonly grey cast iron is used for the steel by definition. Cast irons contain appreciable
construction of the disc brake rotors[6]. The SAE amounts of silicon, normally 1-3%, and consequently
specifications are to be followed for the manufacture these alloys should be considered ternary Fe-C-Si
of grey cast iron for various applications. SAE alloys. Here graphite is present in the form of flakes.
specification J431 G3000 (superseded to G10) is used Disc brake discs are commonly manufactured out of a
for normal car and light truck applications This material called grey cast iron.
specification dictates the correct range of hardness, Cast iron which comes under a group of iron-
chemical composition, tensile strength, and other carbon alloys contains carbon greater than 2%. The
properties necessary for the intended use. Some racing alloy constituents affect its color when fractured:
cars and airplanes use brakes with carbon fiber discs white cast iron has carbide impurities which allow
and carbon fiber pads to reduce weight. Wear rates cracks to pass straight through; grey cast iron has
tend to be high, and braking may be poor or grabby graphite flakes which deflect a passing crack and
until the brake is hot. The temperature distribution, the initiate countless new cracks as the material breaks.
thermal deformation and the thermal stress of Carbon (C) and silicon (Si) are the main alloying
automotive disc brake have quite close relations with elements, with the amount ranging from 2.1–4 wt%
car safety. and 1–3 wt%, respectively. Iron alloys with less
When the brakes are applied by pressing the friction carbon content are known as steel. While this
pads on to the disc rotor, heat generates due to friction technically makes these base alloys ternary Fe–C–Si
and this heat flux flux has to be conducted and alloys. Since the compositions of most cast irons are
dispersed across the disk rotor cross section. The around the eutectic point of the iron–carbon system,
condition of braking is very much severe and thus the the melting temperatures closely correlate, usually
thermal analysis has to be carried out. ranging from 1,150 to 1,200 °C (2,100 to 2,190 °F),
The thermal structural stability of the disc brake is which is about 300 °C (572 °F) lower than the melting
influenced by the thermal and elastic property of point of pure iron.
material properties, rate of hydraulic pressure applied
on pad and the basic design for the disc rotor. B. Maraging Steels and its Properties
Some of the thermally most important properties of Maraging steels (a portmanteau of "martensitic"
disc brake rotor are as follows:- and "aging") are steels (iron alloys) that are known for
 Ability to store the heat generated which is known possessing superior strength and toughness without
as thermal capacitance. It depends on density and losing malleability, although they cannot hold a good
specific heat. Thermal capacitance plays cutting edge. Aging refers to the extended heat-
important role during short braking. It is also treatment process. These steels are a special class of
important during initial braking process. low-carbon ultra-high-strength steels that derive their
 Ability to redistribute thermal energy which is strength not from carbon, but from precipitation of
termed as Thermal conductivity. During long and intermetallic compounds. The principal alloying
low intensity braking, the peak temperature is element is 15 to 25 wt. % nickel. Secondary alloying
largely depends on the disc material‟s elements, which include cobalt, molybdenum, and
conductivity. However, the thermal conductivity titanium, are added to
has a little effect during short braking. produce intermetallic precipitates,. Original
 Thermal expansion coefficient (related to location development (by Bieber of Inco in the late 1950s) was
of friction contact due to the thermal deformation) carried out on 20 and 25 wt.% Ni steels to which small
affects the tendency towards hot spotting and additions of Al, Ti, and Nb were made; a rise in the
thermal disc thickness variation (DTV) generation. price of cobalt in the late 1970s led to the
The temperature gradients of the disc brake can development of cobalt-free maraging steels.
cause to temporary DTV owing to the uneven
thermal expansion of the material C. ALMMC(Aluminum metal matrix composites)
Here for thermal analysis we have considered 4 and its Properties
rotor disc materials cast iron, maraging steel , A metal matrix composite (MMC) is composite
Aluminum metal matrix composites, & E -glass fiber. material with at least two constituent parts, one being
a metal necessarily, the other material may be a

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 SSRG International Journal of Mechanical Engineering (SSRG-IJME) – volume 3 Issue 6 – June 2016

different metal or another material, such as friction pads. These are the critical components which
a ceramic or organic compound. When at least three are subjected higher temperatures and thereby thermal
materials are present, it is called a hybrid composite. stresses.
Aluminum is the most popular matrix for the metal
matrix composites (MMCs). The Al alloys are quite
attractive due to their low density, their capability to
be strengthened by precipitation, their good corrosion
resistance, high thermal and electrical conductivity,
and their high damping capacity. Aluminum matrix
composites (AMCs) refer to the class of light weight
high performance aluminum centric material systems.
The reinforcement in AMCs could be in the form of
continuous or discontinuous fibers, whisker or
particulates, in volume fractions ranging from a few
percent to 70%. In the last few years, AMCs have
been utilized in high-tech structural and functional
applications including aerospace, defense, automotive,
and thermal management areas, as well as in sports
Figure 1 3D Model of 24 mm Disc brake
and recreation. There has been interest in using
aluminum based metal matrix composites for brake IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
disc and drum materials in recent years. While much
lighter than cast iron they are not as resistant to high The results for temperatures and thermal stresses
temperatures and are sometimes only used on rear obtained by analytical method and finite element
axles of automobiles because the energy dissipation analysis are compared. The obtained data is given in
requirements are not high as compared to front axle. the table 1 given below. It is observed that the results
While the friction and wear of ALMMC were high obtained for temperature distribution are almost
speeds and loads the behavior could be greatly similar for both methods. In the case of analytical
improved beyond that of iron discs, given the correct calculation the temperature values are slightly higher.
match of pad and disc material [12]. But the distribution pattern is almost the same.
Similarly the values of thermal stresses also higher in
D. (Electrical)E-Glass Fiber and its Properties: case of analytical calculations than the analysis using
E-Glass or electrical grade glass was originally ANSYS. Thermal stress values are also higher for
developed for standoff insulators for electrical wiring. analytical calculation compared to ANSYS analysis
It was later found to have excellent fiber forming both compressive stresses as well as tensile stresses. It
capabilities and is now used almost exclusively as the is observed that the similarity is maintained in both
reinforcing phase in the material commonly known as temperature distribution and thermal stress variation in
fiberglass. both methods.
The use of E-Glass as the reinforcement material in Table 1: Comparison of the analytical and FEM Results of
polymer matrix composites is extremely common. brake Disc
Optimal strength properties are gained when straight,
continuous fibers are aligned parallel in a single Analytical FEM
direction. To promote strength in other directions, S. Material
Analytical FEM Max. Max.
laminate structures can be constructed, with Max. Max. principal principal
NO
Temp oc Temp oc Stress Mpa Stress
continuous fibers aligned in other directions. Fiber Mpa
dimension and to some extent proper-ties can be
controlled by the process variables such as melt 1 Cast iron 185.41 167.56 197 140.42
temperature (hence viscosity) and draw-ing/spinning Maragin
rate. The temperature window that can be used to 2 363.62 306.89 211 154.35
g steel
produce a melt of suitable viscosity is quite large,
3 ALMMC 166.85 148.97 186 129.24
making this composition suitable for fiber forming.
4 E-Glass 411.74 375.37 242 185.81

III. MODELING OF THE ROTOR DISC

As a first step a structural model of the brake disc A. Results of Thermal Analysis
with pads was prepared using CATIA software. 3-D Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4 show the
model developed for the analysis is shown in the temperature Distribution for Grey Cast Iron Rotor
figure 1. The model developed was imported into Disc, maraging steel rotor disc and E-Glass rotor disc
ANSYS workbench. Thermal structural analysis was respectively, predicted by the FE analysis in brake
done on this model of simplified version of disc brake application. In order to investigate the temperature and
consisting of two main components brake disc and von Mises stress histories, surface of the disc is

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 SSRG International Journal of Mechanical Engineering (SSRG-IJME) – volume 3 Issue 6 – June 2016

selected, because surface area is subjected to high Table 2 Maximum and Minimum temperatures of disc
temperature and stresses. These values are gradually brake
S.No Material Max. Min.
reduced from outer edge to inner edge.
Temp(˚C) Temp(˚C)
1 Grey Cast 167.56 70.078
Iron
2 Maraging 306.89 39.516
steel
3 ALMMC 148.97 98.316
4 E-Glass 375.37 39.515

The maximum and minimum temperatures obtained

for all four materials are given in the table 2.

Thermal analysis was done after applying the

braking force using friction between pads and disc for
time duration of 5 seconds. The maximum
temperature obtained in ALMMC rotor disc is at
Figure 2 Temperature Distribution for Grey Cast Iron Rotor
rubbing surface & is observed to be 148.97 ˚C. By
Disc comparing the different results obtained from FEA &
analytical method it is observed that rotor disc of
ALMMC is the best suitable rotor disc.

V. CONCLUSIONS
Disc brake rotor was analyzed for temperature and
thermal stresses using analytical calculations and
finite element analysis. A method of analytical
calculation and Finite element analysis was given. A
step by step procedure of finite element analysis was
developed so that anybody can follow the
methodology for similar analysis. The method
developed in this work can be used to analyze
temperature and thermal stress in sliding contact
mechanical components. By comparing the analytical
results and FEA results, it is found that the values are
similar with no much difference. The pattern of
. variation of temperature is also observed to be the
same in both cases. Generally the present study can
Figure 3 Temperature Distribution for maraging steel Rotor Disc provide a useful design tool and improve the brake
performance of disk brake system.
Based on the results of analysis it is concluded that:
 All the values obtained from the analysis are less
than their allowable values. Brake disk design is
safe based on the strength and rigidity criteria.
 Braking torque, heat flux and single stop
temperature rise are calculated with the help of
vehicle specifications.
 Maximum temperature rise is calculated for four
different materials, i.e. Gray cast iron, maraging
steel ,ALMMC and E-Glass using both
Analytical and FEA methods.
 Maximum principle stress obtained from FEA
Figure 4 Temperature Distribution for E-Glass Rotor Disc analysis for the material Gray cast iron, maraging
steel, ALMMC and E-Glass are 140.42 MPa,
154.35MPa ,129.24MPa, , and 185.81 MPa
respectively.
 From Analytical analysis the maximum principle
stress obtained for the material Gray cast iron,
maraging steel, ALMMC and E-Glass are

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 SSRG International Journal of Mechanical Engineering (SSRG-IJME) – volume 3 Issue 6 – June 2016

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