A Method to Predict the Durability of Friction Materials Applied on Drum Brakes Based on the Dissipation of Braking Energy

It is becoming more and more common to apply simulation tools with the purpose of reducing the development time of new products and processes in the industry. Researchers have been engaged in developing simulation models based on the energy dissipation to predict the behavior of materials submitted to wear processes. From the characterization of a friction material applied to drum brakes, a method was developed to predict its durability from the energy dissipated in events of braking. For this, it was necessary to develop and apply the Wear Damage Accumulation Rule. The concept behind this rule was based on the Palmgren–Miner damage linear accumulation rule, applied to predict the fatigue response of structural components. For the characterization of the friction material, scale wear bench tests, where specimens were cycled at different intensities of normal load and temperatures, were performed. The energy dissipated in the brakes of a commercial vehicle equipped with the same friction material was obtained along a typical route using adequate equipment. The Wear Damage Accumulation Rule was applied to predict its life. The result was compared to the prediction of its durability obtained by a traditional method applied by the industry. The results obtained by both methods were similar, indicating that the proposed method has the potential for practical application. From the validation of the method presented in this work, new simulation tools could be created and developed to make the process of development of friction materials faster and less expensive for the automotive industry.