Parametric analysis on temperature influence on brake squeal generation in a single-seater off-road vehicle’s disc brake

Brakes are a critical component of automobiles, responsible for converting kinetic energy into heat and vibration. The phenomenon of brake squeal, which produces uncomfortable noises, has been extensively studied in both drum and disc brakes. Many studies have evaluated the influence of material and operational parameters on brake instability to reduce squeal. However, the effect of temperature, a key factor in brake performance, is often overlooked. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing a single rear-axle disc brake from an off-road single-seater vehicle using a parametric approach. Two branches were developed in ANSYS software. The first branch consisted of a finite element model of the brake with disc, pads, and backplates. A static structural analysis was performed to simulate a real braking pressure situation, and the resulting pre-stress state was used to conduct complex modal analysis, which extracted eigenvalues and values responsible for stability. The second branch involved a transient thermal simulation before the static analysis, also considering a real braking situation, to create a gradient of temperature and change component pre-stress reactions accordingly. A design of experiments process was used to explore geometric, thermal, and operational variables. The results showed that temperature and its parameters (convection and emissivity coefficient) increase brake squeal. Thus, considering the effect of temperature is crucial when evaluating brake instability, and optimizing temperature control can help reduce brake squeal, improving safety and comfort for drivers and passengers. © The Author(s) 2023.