Influence of the initial speed of the agricultural tractor on the brakes heating process during emergency braking

Agricultural tractors are very widespread in today's agriculture. This is dictated by the constantly increasing acres of farms, which means that the field work is much larger than it was several years ago. Farmers are forced to travel longer distances, e.g., when transporting products from their crops. Constructors who build faster and stronger tractors meet these requirements. Higher travelling speed unfortunately brings a bigger challenge related to stopping the vehicle. The high tare weight and speeds of up to 50-60 km/h give a large amount of kinetic energy associated with movement. This energy is converted into heat during braking. These, in turn, can lead to permanent threatening health or even life of road users, damage of the friction material. In this work, a mathematical model of the tractor braking process was developed, then simulation tests were performed on its basis from various initial speeds. They were to check to what temperatures the working elements are heated up to, and whether there is a threat of fading phenomenon. © 2020 by Begell House, Inc.