ADVANCED ENGINEERING

3(2009)2, ISSN 1846-5900

STRESS ANALYSIS OF A BRAKE DISC CONSIDERING

CENTRIFUGAL AND THERMAL LOAD
Reibenschuh, M.; Oder, G.; Potr, I.; Lerher, T.; amec, B. & raml, M.
Abstract: Disc brakes appear in all transportation systems. They are also used in railway
transport. Because of the influence of different loads on a brake disc, an analysis is carried out
with a finite elements method (FEM). The goal is to find out the influence of the centrifugal
force and the combine influence of a thermal and centrifugal force on a brake disc. The analysis
is carried out for a brand new disc and a worn out disc because of its operation. After the
analysis the results are interpreted and suggestions for improvements are made.

Keywords: railway transport, brake disc, centrifugal load, thermal load

1 INTRODUCTION
Brake discs are exposed to a variety of loads during their use. While driving without
braking the disc is affected only with the centrifugal force. When the brake cycle starts,
two additional forces affect the disc. These forces represent the force from the brake
calliper and the force from the heat impute (as a result of friction). The first goal of this
research is to find out the influence of the centrifugal load at constant temperature. The
second goal is to find out the influence of a combined load, centrifugal and thermal.
During the analysis two models of the brake disc are considered:
- a brand new disc,
- a worn out disc because of its daily operation.
Analysis is made for both types of the disc and for both types of loads.

Fig. 1. The brake disc on the hub

2 NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF A BRAKE DISC

In the beginning of the analysis the brake disc is simplified. Only one section of the
whole disc is used. Considering the systems edge conditions and the symmetry of the
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disc, only 1/12 of the disc is chosen. The analysis is carried out with help of FEM in
the program Abaqus 6.7.1 [2], which gives the results in numerical and figures form.

Fig. 2. The chosen section of the brake disc

2.1 First phase of the analyze

In the first phase of the analysis the tensions that are a direct result of the centrifugal
load are determined. This load comes as a result from high travelling speeds of the
train. Beside that, the weight distribution of the vehicle is also considered. The weight
arrangement is 60:40 in favour of the front part of the carriage. This means that the
front part of the carriage takes 60% of the whole load. Every carriage consists of four
axles, with three brake discs attached to each axle. In our case only 10 % of the whole
brake force is applied to one disc from the forward part of the carriage. Because of the
weight distribution mentioned before, only the front part of the carriage is analyzed.
The material used for the brake disc is rounded graphite defined under the standard
SIST EN 1563:1998 with a characteristic EN-GJS-500-7 (EN-JS 1050). Other vital
data for the analysis of the brake disc are in the table 1.
Diameter of the wheel dw=2 rw
Effective radius of the wheel rd
Deceleration at braking
Maximum velocity
Density of the material
Elastic module
Poisson number
Heat conductivity
Specifically heat of the material
Rp0,2
Rm
Minimal extension
Total mass of the vehicle
Time to standstill
Initial temperature of the disc
Temperature of the environment

0,92 m
0,247 m
1,4 m/s2
250 km/h = 69 m/s
7100 kg/m3
169000 N/mm2
0,275
35,2 W/m2K
515 J/ kgK
320 MPa
500 MPa
7%
70000 kg
50 s
150C
50C

Tab. 1. The data used for calculation

For the stress analysis the angular velocity is determined. This velocity is also one
of the boundary conditions. The angular velocity:
238

v
= 151s 1 ,
r

(1)

where the v [km/h] represents the maximum velocity of the vehicle and r [m] the radius
of the wheel. It is also necessary to determine the holding force of the brake calliper on
the disc. The force of the brake calliper:

1
0,1 M v02
2
Fd =
= 9125,5 N ,

rd
1 v0 2
2 v0 t z t z
rw
2 t z

(2)

The force permitted on one side of the disc is 17500 N; the calculated value is
9125.5 N. This means that the calculated force does not exceed the maximum value.
Other parameters and material properties are already given. The section of the disc and
its geometry is transferred from the program SolidWorks 2008 to the program Abaqus
6.7.1. Immediately after the transfer the geometry is scaled. Because of that, the results
are in N/mm2. After that, the models boundary conditions are determined and the
material properties are put into the program.
Additional boundary conditions are determined on the surfaces where the brake
disc is cut up. Afterward the main load is determined. The main load is the centrifugal
load caused by the maximum travel velocity of the vehicle.

The model fixing

Fig. 3. Meshed section of the disc

In the next step the model is meshed. Because of the complex geometry of the
model it is not possible to use hexagonal mesh element. Instead tetragonal mesh
elements are used. Fig. 3 shows the meshed model. The model is meshed in automatic
mode. The number of elements is 84354 and the size of each element is 6mm.
2.2 Second phase of the analysis
Here the stress and its distribution in a brake disc caused by combined load of
centrifugal and thermal load is determined. The vehicle brakes to a standstill from its
maximum velocity. In this phase the heat flux is considered. The instant heat flux
according to its time dependency is calculated. For that, 26 time steps, each 2s long are
prescribed. The heat flux in dependency of time:
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Q (t ) = Fdiska v diska (t ) = Fdiska

v
rdiska
v0 0 t = 343000 6860 t
rkolesa
tz

(3)

For the analysis, the same geometric model as in the first phase of the analysis is
used.

3 THE RESULTS
3.1 The calculation of centrifugal load for the new disk 195H6
In the first phase of the analysis only the influence of the centrifugal load is considered.
The Fig. 4a and 4b show the gathered results.
On behave of the analysis a comparison of stress on von Mises and maximum
extension was made.
The analysis is tied to the maximum velocity of 250 km/h. The maximum value for
stress is in the hole, where the disc is attached to the axle and on the passage, on the
Fig. 4a marked with the line. The maximum value for the comparison stress is 77.06
MPa.

a)

b)

Fig. 4. Comparison stress (von Mises) a)

and extension b)

The Fig. 4b shows the movement respectively the extension because of the
influence of the centrifugal load. From the Fig. 4b we can see that the maximum
extension lies in the boundary of 0.012 mm.

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3.2 The calculation of centrifugal load for the worn out disk 195H6

a)

b)

Fig. 5. Comparison stresses (von Mises) a) and extension b)

The Fig. 5a shows comparison stress on von Mises for the chosen section of the
disc. The maximum value for the stress is in the hole, where the disc is attached to the
axle and on the passage, on the Fig. 5a marked with the line. The maximum value for
the stress is 75.58 MPa. From Fig. 5b we can see that the maximum extension lies in
the boundary of 0.0126 mm.
3.3 The calculation of combined load for the new disk 195H6
In the second phase of the analysis a combined load between centrifugal and thermal
load is considered. The results are on the following figures. The Fig. 6a shows
maximum value for comparison stress on von Mises. The area with the highest load is
marked with a line. Comparison stress reach up to 185 MPa.

a)

b)

Fig. 6. Comparison stress (von Mises) a) and temperature distribution b)

From the Fig. 6b we can see the thermal distribution. The Fig. 6b shows where the
temperatures on the disc are the highest. The temperatures reach up to 175C.
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Fig. 7. Extension of the disk

Fig. 7 shows how the combined load affects the disc and the maximum
extension resulting from it. The maximum extension lies in the boundary of 0.154 mm.
3.4 The calculation of combined load for the worn out disk 195H6
Fig. 8a shows maximum value for comparison stress on von Mises. Comparison stress
reach up to 174 MPa. Fig. 8b shows the thermal distribution and the spots where the
temperatures on the disc are the highest. The temperatures reach up to 212C.

a)

b)

Fig. 8. Comparison stress (von Mises) a) and temperature distribution b)

Fig. 9 shows how the combined load affects the disc and the maximum extension
resulting from it. The maximum extension lies in the boundary of 0.23 mm.

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Fig. 9. Extension of the disk

4 DISCUSION OF THE RESULTS

Table 2 shows the results from the first phase of the analysis - the influence of the
centrifugal load on the material of the brake disc. This analysis is made for the worst
case scenario. In our case this is at the maximum velocity of 250 km/h. The stress is
high but in comparison with the allowed stress for this material, which includes a
safety factor of 1.5, the brake discs are adequately dimensioned. The difference in
stress between the brand new disc and the worn out disc is a consequence of the
material properties. The more material we have the harder it is to deform it.
Consequently the less material we have, the easier this material is deformable and the
stress is lower.
Brake disc max [MPa] MOVEMENT [mm]
Brand new 77,06
0,012
Worn out
75,58
0,0126
Tab. 2. Results of the first phase of the analysis

Table 3 shows the results from the second phase of the analysis. In this phase the
heat flux into the material of the brake disc is considered. The results show the
remarkable influence of the heat flux. The stress in material increases drastically. But if
we compare these results with the allowed stress, the material is still suitable for use.
Because of the safety and the everyday cyclic loading it is recommended to choose a
material with better mechanical properties. Similar as in the first phase the results are
different. That is easy to explain. The more material we have the faster the disc cools
down. The cooling rate falls and the temperature rises when we have less material.
Brake disc max [MPa] TEMPERATURE [C] MOVEMENT [mm]
Brand new 184,77
174,01
0,1536
Worn out
173,89
211,42
0,2288
Tab. 3. Results of the second phase of the analysis

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5 CONCLUSION
The results of the analysis show that the biggest influence comes from the combined
load. In conclusion the brake discs need to be primarily analyzed for combined load,
then for thermal load and in the end for centrifugal load. To lower the stress and
extension we recommend two constructional improvements:
- choosing another material with better mechanical properties,
- changing the passages respectively the radiuses where the stress is the highest.
References:
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]

244

Mackin Thomas J. Thermal cracking in disc brakes. Engineering Failure Analysis (2002),
no. 9
Abaqus 6.7.1. Tutorial
Reibenschuh Marko, Stress analysis of a brake disc under centrifugal and thermal load.
Maribor: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 2008
Oder Grega, Determination of non stationary thermal and stress fields in brake discs.
Maribor: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 2008
SolidWorks 2008