Temperature and coning analysis of brake rotor using an axisymmetric finite element technique

In an automotive brake system, the frictional heat generated can cause high temperature at the interface which may deteriorate the material properties of the rotor and the pad causing brake fade phenomena. For the purpose of thermal analysis, the ventilated rotor is to be represented as an axisymmetric finite element model with the appropriate thermal boundary conditions. To take into consideration the effects of the cooling passages, a homogenization technique is used to give the equivalent thermal properties and boundary conditions for the elements corresponding to the vent holes. Numerical results of the rotor temperature are found to be satisfactory compared with that of the conventional three dimensional analysis. To explore the effect of the undercut shape on the coning of the rotor, thermoelastic deflection of the rotor is found from the same axisymmetnc finite element model with the equivalent mechanical properties. The numerical results for the various undercut shapes show that the undercut direction has more profound effect on reducing coning than its size does.