An Investigation Of Disc Brake Rotor By Finite Element Analysis

AN INVESTIGATION OF DISC BRAKE ROTOR BY

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Zaid, M.A., Radzai, M.S., Ahmad, R., Ridzuan, M.M.,

Nurfaizey, A.H., and Afzanizam, M.M.R.

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,

Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka,
Hang Tuah Jaya, Melaka

Author’s e-mail: zaid@utem.edu.my

ABSTRACT

Safety aspect in automotive engineering has been considered as a

number one priority in development of new vehicle. Each single system
has been studied and developed in order to meet safety requirement.
Instead of having air bag, good suspension systems, good handling and
safe cornering, there is one most critical system in the vehicle which is
brake systems. Without brake system in the vehicle will put a passenger
in unsafe position. Therefore, it is a must for all vehicles to have proper
brake system. Due to critical system in the vehicle, many of researchers
have conducted a study on brake system and its entire component. In this
project, the author has conducted a study on ventilated disc brake rotor
of normal passenger vehicle with full load of capacity. The study is more
likely concern of heat and temperature distribution on disc brake rotor. In
this study, finite element analysis approached has been conducted in order
to identify the temperature distributions and behaviors of disc brake rotor
in transient response. ABAQUS/CAE has been used as finite elements
software to perform the thermal analysis on transient response. Thus, this
study provide better understanding on the thermal characteristic of disc
brake rotor and assist the automotive industry in developing optimum and
effective disc brake rotor.

KEYWORDS: Heat, Temperature Distribution, Disc Brake Rotor,

ABAQUS/CAE, Transient Response

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Brakes is such a crucial system in stopping the vehicle on all moving

stages including braking during high speed, sharp cornering, traffic
jam and downhill. All of those braking moments give a different value
of temperature distribution and thermal stress. There are different
design and performance of disc brake rotor if compared between

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passenger, commercial and heavy duty vehicle. There are also other
constraints such as cost, weight, manufacturing capability, robustness
and reliability, packaging, maintenance and servicing. For example,
heavy duty vehicle need large size of disc brake rotor if compared
to passenger vehicle. Due to that, it will increased total weight of
vehicle as well as fuel consumption and reduces performances of the
vehicle. Moreover, high weight of vehicle induces to high temperature
increased during braking where the higher value of temperature
during braking could lead to braking failure and cracking of disc brake
rotor. Braking performance of a vehicle can be significantly affected
by the temperature rise in the brake components. High temperature
during braking will caused to brake fade, premature wear, brake fluid
vaporization, bearing failure, thermal cracks and thermally-excited
vibration (Valvano, T. and Lee, K., 2000). Brakes have been retuned and
improved ever since their invention. The increases in traveling speeds
as well as the growing weights of cars have made these improvements
essential. The faster a car goes and the heavier it is, the harder it is to
stop. It is important to do some analysis on a disc brake rotor which has
been designed to predict the behavior of the systems than follow with
some improvements. In order to understand the behaviors of braking
system, there are three functions that must be complied for all the time
(Smith, J, 2002);

a) The braking system must be decelerate a vehicle in a

controlled and repeatable fashion and when appropriate
cause the vehicle to stop.
b) The braking should permit the vehicle to maintain a
constant speed when traveling downhill.
c) The braking system must hold the vehicle stationary
when on the flat or on a gradient.

This project concerns of the temperature distribution of disc brake

rotor. In this project, the investigation has been conducted on the
thermal issues of normal passenger vehicle with full capacity of
passenger, where the investigation are to determine the temperature
behavior of the disc brake rotor due to severe braking by using Finite
Element Analysis (FEA). In this project, design package CATIA and
finite element package ABAQUS has been used to generate model and
simulate the analysis.

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 An Investigation Of Disc Brake Rotor By Finite Element Analysis

2.0 METHODOLOGY

The thermal analysis process is schematically shown in Figure 1. Begin

with a literature review, a paper and journal has been read up and a
part of it has been considered in this project. Meanwhile, Coordinate
Measuring Machine (CMM) has been used to measure the major
coordinate of real disc brake rotor. Later, the precise dimensions
have been taken to translate in 2D and 3D drawing by using CATIA.
In the second stage, load analysis has been done where the heat flux
and convectional heat transfer coefficients has been calculated. Load
analysis calculated based on full load of passenger in the normal
passenger vehicle. Later, value of load analysis has been applied on
finite element analysis. Next, the fractional 3D model of disc brake
rotor has been transfer to finite element software which is ABAQUS/
CAE. Thermal analysis has been done on transient response. Assigning
material properties, load and meshing of the model has been done in
this stages. Then, completed meshing model has been submitted for
analysis. Eventually an expected result from the transient response of
thermal analysis has been obtained.

Figure 1: Research Process

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3.0. LOAD ANALYSIS

Heat flux has been calculated as a load to disc brake rotor, while
convection heat transfer has been considered as boundary conditions.
All load analysis will base on one sliced over thirty two fraction of disc
brake. It is due to axis-symmetrical considerations, where the outcome
results for full design is equivalent to one sliced over thirty two fraction.
Moreover, a few assumptions have been considered in through this load
analysis (Valvano, T., 2000), (Limpert, R., 1972), (Huang, Y.M., 1986).

Ten load cycles has been applied in this project [Huang, Y.M]. Total time
of ten load cycles is 350 second which consists of ten cycle of braking
operation and ten cycles without braking operation (idle). As shown in
Figure 2, each cycle consume of 35 seconds which divided to 6 seconds
of braking operations, 10 seconds for accelerations from 0 m/s till 27.78
m/s (100 km/h) and 19 seconds maintain speed of 27.78 m/s (100 km/h).
During deceleration, 4.41 m/s2 or (0.45g) deceleration rate and 2.75 m/
s2 or (0.28g) for acceleration rate has been considered (Huang, Y.M. and
Chen, S.H, 2006). Each cycle will repeat a same cycle for ten times in
order to study the temperature behavior of disc brake rotor for 350
seconds.

In transient analysis, it will consider the whole ten cycles time with
heat flux applied on 6 seconds of each cycle. As shown on Figure 2,
heat flux only generated first 6 seconds of each cycles. This occurred
due to braking ramped linearly for 6 seconds from velocity of 27.78 m/s
(100 km/h) to zero. It will be no load applied (idle) for next 29 seconds
due to no braking during idle time. There will no heat convection effect
on braking surfaces during generation of heat flux (Limpert, R, 1972).
It is due to yield of heat convection effect is much smaller than the
heat generated by friction. Thus, the heat convection effect are ignored
on braking surfaces during braking applied (heat flux generated).
However, for the next 29 seconds (idle time) the convection heat transfer
coefficient is considered on both of braking surface.

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 An Investigation Of Disc Brake Rotor By Finite Element Analysis

Figure 2: The First Cycle of Ten Load Operations (Huang, Y.M., and
Chen, S.H., 2006)

4.0 THE FINITE ELEMENT MODEL

The finite element method was used to obtain the temperature behaviour
during braking and non-braking conditions. A common finite element
model was used in this analysis. The model as shown in Figure 3, was
modeled with the element family of 10-node quadratic tetrahedron and
15,348 of elements has been generated to the model. Thermal inputs,
constraint and boundary conditions have been applied to the model.

Figure 3: A Fractional Disc Brake Rotor Model with Meshing of 10-node

Quadratic Tetrahedron Solid Element

5.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

In this section, results of transient response in temperature distributions

were discussed. Those results are representing of temperature
distributions in transient response on the 1st, 5th and 10th cycle of
braking and without braking (idle) conditions:

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5.1 Transient response in temperature distributions result (1st

cycle)

Figure 4 (a, b, c and d) shows the 1st cycle of load applied and idling
time (cooling) on disc brake rotor. As earlier as 1 second brake applied,
braking surfaces temperatures rises from 00C to 65.120C and later
increased suddenly to 2760C after 6 seconds of braking moments. At
the first load, hat sections and inner ring surfaces still within in the cool
area, meanwhile the inner vane passage shows the temperature rise
which is influenced by heat generated in braking surfaces. However, at
t=7 seconds which is during idling time, cooling characteristic of disc
brake rotor take in place where the temperature on braking surfaces
drop from 2760C to 245.50C. The temperature drops followed by other
surfaces and sections. At this moment, the temperatures of hat sections
and inner ring surfaces feel to slightly increased due to heat transferred
by conduction from braking surfaces. Better cooling efficiency of disc
brake rotor when the temperature drop again at t=35 seconds where the
last step cooling moments before load has been applied again. At this
time, the braking surfaces temperatures drop from 245.50C to 131.60C.
Forced convection applied on each surfaces during idling time give a
better cooling trend for disc brake rotor.

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 An Investigation Of Disc Brake Rotor By Finite Element Analysis

5.2 Transient response in temperature distributions result (5th

cycle)

Figure 5 (a, b, c, and d) explained on the 5th cycle of load applied and
idling time (cooling) on disc brake rotor. From one cycle to another cycle
till on the 5th cycle, the disc brake rotor has an experienced to increase
the temperature. At t=146 seconds, braking surfaces temperatures rises
to 516.20C from 315.10C for along of 6 seconds braking moments. At
the fifth load, hat section turn to increase more than 1000C and rotor
when temperature at inner ring surfaces between 109.30C to 278.80C.
Only regions close to braking surfaces have experienced of high
temperature of inner ring. Meanwhile the inner vane passage shows the
temperature rise which again influenced by repeated heat generated in
braking surfaces. However, at t = 147 seconds which is during idling
time, cooling characteristic of disc brake rotor take in place where
the temperature on braking surfaces drop from 516.20C to 479.50C.
The temperature drops followed by other surfaces and sections. At
this moment, the temperatures of hat sections and inner ring surfaces
feel to slightly increased due to heat transferred by conduction from
braking surfaces. Better cooling efficiency of disc brake rotor when the
temperature drop again at t=175 seconds where the last step cooling
moments on 5th cycle before load has been applied again. At this time,
the braking surfaces temperatures drop from 479.50C to 266.70C. Forced
convection applied on each surfaces during idling time give a better
cooling trend for disc brake rotor.

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5.3 Transient response in temperature distributions result (10th

cycle)

Figure 6 (a, b, c and d) shows on the 10th cycle (final cycle) of load
applied and idling time (cooling) on disc brake rotor. Again on
final cycle, the disc brake rotor has an experienced to increase the
temperature. At t=321 seconds, braking surfaces temperatures rises to
543.90C from 343.60C for a long of 6 seconds braking moments. 543.90C
is considered the maximum temperature yields in overall cycles. At
the final load, hat section turn to increase to 216.60C and basically
give a linear response in increased temperature. It is same goes to
temperature at inner ring surfaces which is increased linearly between
380.20C to 216.60C. Only regions close to braking surfaces have an
experienced of high temperature of inner ring. Meanwhile the inner
vane passage shows the temperature rise which again influenced by
repeated heat generated in braking surfaces. However, at t=322 seconds
which is during idling time, cooling characteristic of disc brake rotor
take in place where the temperature on braking surfaces drop from
543.90C to 506.70C. The temperature drops followed by other surfaces
and sections. At this moment, the temperatures of hat sections and
inner ring surfaces feel to slightly increased due to heat transferred by
conduction from braking surfaces. Better cooling efficiency of disc brake
rotor when the temperature drop again at t=350 seconds where the last
step cooling moments on final cycle. At this time, the braking surfaces
temperatures drop from 506.70C to 2860C. Thus, each convection heat
transfer coefficients at each particular surface during idling time give a
better cooling trend for disc brake rotor.

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There is a different on the braking surfaces between inboard and

outboard surfaces. Figure 7(a and b) shows the graph of braking
surfaces which specifically compared between inboard and outboard
braking surfaces. Clearly shows in the graph that outboard temperature
is slightly lower than inboard temperature. It is due to conduction
effects from outboard to hat section. The brake plate region remains
the warmest section with the inboard brake surface exhibiting higher
temperatures than the outboard surface due to heat transfer in the hat
section (Smith, J, 2002). Presented graph also shows the teeth trends of
the temperature behaviors which is a familiar trend in thermal analysis
of disc brake rotor.

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From the graph, we could also predict the transient temperature

distributions behaviors. It can be seen, the teeth cycles are ready to
have constant relationship on braking surfaces after the 8th cycle. As
stated before, the maximum temperature in all ten cycles is 543.90C
which is still below the maximum service temperature of typical grey
cast iron where the temperature is approximately 5500C. Thus the yield
maximum temperature is acceptable. Instead of 543.90C, the maximum
temperature results could be going lower than that. However, due to a
few assumptions that has been made on the analysis, it is most probably
influenced the generated results.

The initial braking operations (generated heat) will cause the

temperature to rise (Shigley, J.E., 1986). Though the rise occurs in a finite
time interval, it is assumed to occur instantaneously. Temperature then
drops (heat dissipated) unless interrupted by any braking operation.
The repeated braking and idling operations will give a trend of teeth
graph. Thus, the Figure 8 below shows the average temperature of
whole fractional model of disc brake rotor.

Figure 8. Average Temperature versus Time of Disc Brake Rotor for

Entire Cycle (0-350s)

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From Figure 8 above, it can be observed that temperatures of disc

brake rotor increased close to linear on each cycle of braking moments.
Although the temperature is increased in each cycle, the 8th cycles
shows the temperatures This shows that the cycle of braking moments
are approaching to nearly steady conditions.

As discussed on result of braking surfaces, the maximum temperatures

of disc brake rotor is captured at 543.90C which is slightly lower than
service temperature range of typical grey cast iron material which
is between -1500C to 5500C. This shows that the normal passenger
vehicle disc brake rotor with full passenger used in this study has
been successfully designed to dissipate frictional heat and avoid the
overheating during braking moments as discussed before, overheating
on disc brake rotor will caused thermal cracks, brake fade, brake fluid
vaporization bearing failure and thermal excited vibration.

6.0 CONCLUSIONS

As a conclusion, this project has been considered to be a successful

project on the thermal study of ventilated disc brake rotor of normal
passenger vehicle which consider of full load of passenger. The
maximum temperature of transient response is 543.90C and considered
accepted where the range of typical grey cast iron which is between
-1500C to 5500C. As expected for transient temperature distributions,
the highest temperature region occurs on the braking surfaces and
gradually decreases as it approaches the inner ring and hat section.
Temperature decreased due to heat dissipation through convection
at each particular surface. Thus, it is expected that all finding in this
study which related to thermal analysis on disc brake rotor will assist
automotive designer in developing optimum and effective disc brake
rotor.

7.0 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author sincerely thanks Professor Dr. Mohd. Radzai Bin Said and
Ahmad Rivai for their support throughout the entirely of this project.
The author likes to acknowledge colleagues Muhd Ridzuan Mansur,
Amzatul, Mohd Afzanizam Mohd Rosli and Nurfaizey Abdul Hamid
for their valuable insight and their input of this work.

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8.0 REFERENCES

Valvano, T. and Lee, K., 2000, “An Analytical Method to Predict Thermal
Distortion of a Brake Rotor”,SAE 2000-01-0445, pp. 1-6.

Smith, J. 2002, “An Introduction to Modern Vehicle Design”. Oxford:
Butterworth Heinemann.

Limpert, R., 1972, “Temperature and Stress Analysis of Solid Rotor Disc
Brake”, Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan.

Huang, Y.M. and Chen, S.H., 2006, “Analytical Study of Design Parameters on
Cooling Performance of a Brake”, SAE 2006-01-0692.

Shigley, J.E., 1986, “Mechanical Engineering Design” First Metric Edition,

New York: McGraw-Hill Incorporate,

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