Optimization of brake disk wear loss due to brake pad structure

Brake disk friction wear is an important cause of disk brake failure in high-speed trains, and the circumferential spacing of the friction block is an important factor affecting the amount of brake disk wear. In order to study the influence of the circumferential spacing of friction blocks on the wear of brake disk, based on Archard wear model, a three-dimensional transient model of brake disk and brake pad is established by using ANSYS finite element simulation software. The wear volume and wear rate of brake disk friction surface under three different circumferential spacing of friction blocks during emergency braking of trains are simulated and calculated. The contact stress and temperature variation of the brake disk friction surface are analyzed, and the influence of different friction block circumferential spacing on the contact stress and temperature distribution of the brake disk is given. Finally, based on the response surface method, the circumferential spacing of friction blocks was optimized to obtain the value of the circumferential spacing of friction blocks that minimizes the wear of the friction surface of the brake disk. The results show that the target response value is minimum when the friction block circumferential spacing D1 = 2.018 mm, D2 = 2.02 mm, D3 = 3.896 mm, D4 = 2.005 mm, D5 = 3.982 mm, D6 = 2.034 mm, D7 = 2.018 mm, D8 = 2.039 mm, and D9 = 2.031 mm. The optimized brake disk wear volume was reduced by 0.4% and the wear rate was also reduced by 0.4%. This study is significant for reducing the brake disk wear volume and improving the brake pad friction block structure layout.