Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

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A numerical investigation of disc brake by providing slots on rotor disc

Chebrolu Bhanuprakash, S. Venkata Sai sudheer ⇑, Bandaru Bangarraju, Ch. Naveen kumar, Mangam Venu
Vishnu Institute of Technology, Vishnupur, Bhimavaram 534202, India

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Brake failure is a major safety concern in vehicles, particularly in two-wheelers, and can lead to accidents.
Available online xxxx To improve the safety of two-wheelers, this study proposes a new design for brake disc rotors with slots
that can withstand the stresses and heat generated during the braking process. The performance of the
Keywords: rotor was analyzed using ANSYS 16 software through a combination of static structural analysis and tran-
Grey cast iron sient thermal analysis. Static structural analysis was conducted by applying a braking force to a specific
Ti6Al4V area while keeping the brake mount points fixed, and transient thermal analysis evaluated the effects of
AISI 6150
temperature changes on the brake system over time. The study considered various materials, including
Disc brake Rotor
Stress
Grey cast iron, Ti6Al4V, and AISI 6150. Based on the analysis of von-mises stresses, shear stresses, strains,
Static structural analysis deformations, and total heat flux, AISI 6150 was identified as the best material for the brake disc rotors, as
it can increase the performance of disc rotors and potentially reduce accidents. The findings of this study
have practical implications for the design and manufacture of safer and more efficient brake systems in
vehicles.
Ó 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Confer-
ence on Materials Innovation and Sustainable Manufacturing.

1. Introduction such as the force and torque generated at the pads, net heat flux,
and other characteristics. The research conducted at JCOE by Y.
Disc brakes are a popular type of braking system that utilize H. Mishra et al. [2] also covers the topic of disc brake rotor systems
brake pads to clamp down on a rotating disc or rotor, resulting in and material selection, specifically comparing steel, aluminum, and
the deceleration or halting of a vehicle. They are widely used in alloy options such as magnesium and titanium. This information
automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles, and are considered to be can aid in selecting the most suitable material for a given situation
more dependable and effective than traditional drum brakes. and intended use. Additionally, calculations such as working force,
Researchers have thoroughly investigated the performance of disc stress, torque, and brake distance are performed using assumed
brakes under various conditions, including wet and dry surfaces, data [3]. These calculations and comparisons are used to gain a bet-
high speeds, and heavy loads. They have also explored different ter understanding of the braking process. R. Limpert [4] conducted
factors that influence their performance, such as rotor design, an analysis of the cooling characteristics of vehicle disc brakes. The
brake pad material, and brake fluid. In addition, alternative mate- study examined the cooling characteristics both numerically and
rials and designs have been studied to enhance the performance experimentally, using finite element (FE) and computational fluid
of disc brake systems, decrease their weight, and lower their cost. dynamics (CFD) methods with a specially designed spin rig. The
Some of these research findings will be discussed here. S. R. study looked into the three types of heat transfer: conduction, con-
Abhang and D. P. Bhaskar [1] discusses the difficulties that can vection, and radiation, as well as the design and interfaces of the
occur in brake systems during braking, including issues such as brake assembly. The FE modeling of a long drag brake application
squealing, scarring, excessive corrosion, and breaking. By properly was used to investigate the impact of brake cooling parameters
assembling the braking system and using appropriate data, a com- on the disc temperature. The analysis also determined the contri-
plete braking calculation can be performed to determine factors bution of each form of heat transfer during the application of the
drag brake.
P. Kllungchang et al. [5] presented an analysis of the transient
⇑ Corresponding author at: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vishnu temperature field of a brake in a non-axisymmetric three-
Institute of Technology, Bhimavaram 534202, India. dimensional model. The brake, which is used in automobiles, is
E-mail address: [email protected] (S. Venkata Sai sudheer).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2023.05.702
2214-7853/Ó 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Materials Innovation and Sustainable Manufacturing.

Please cite this article as: C. Bhanuprakash, S. Venkata Sai sudheer, B. Bangarraju et al., A numerical investigation of disc brake by providing slots on rotor
disc, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2023.05.702
C. Bhanuprakash, S. Venkata Sai sudheer, B. Bangarraju et al. Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

made up of a disc with axisymmetric geometry and a pad with

three-dimensional geometry. The study found that using a two-
dimensional model for thermal analysis may result in incorrect
contact conditions and thermal elastic deformation because it
assumes that the frictional heat flux transfer and contact condi-
tions are independent of the y-axis. To address this, the study
developed an analytical model that uses a transient finite element
technique to calculate the contact temperature distribution on the
brake working surface. This takes into account the impact of the
moving heat source (the pad) and the fluctuation of the relative
sliding speed.
Several studies have been conducted on material selection and
the analysis of disc brakes. Maleque et al. [6] used an exhaustive
method and comparative analysis to select materials for disc
brakes. They began by selecting six materials and then used the
Digital Logic Method (DLM) to assign numbers using a product-
process matrix. Rakesh et al. [7] conducted a structural and ther-
mal analysis of disc brakes using FEA, CAD, and ANSYS to analyze
shear stress, total deformation, convective heat transfer coefficient,
and temperature distribution on the disc brake. Palmer et al. [8]
Fig. 1. Exiting design of the brake disc.
conducted a computational fluid dynamic investigation on the
impact of front row pin geometry on the aero-thermodynamic
characteristics of a pin-vented brake disc. They found that the mass
distribution of the disc has a significant impact on heat transport
through the brake disc. Their study showed that the first row of
pins has the greatest impact on the flow field and, consequently,
the mass flow rate and the rate of heat transfer from the disc.
The second row has the most significant impact on the perfor-
mance of the disc in terms of thermo-aerodynamics, while the
third row has a much smaller impact.Similarly, Sarkar et al. [9] used
FEA to model and simulate disc brakes to analyze temperature
distribution.
Many studies have been conducted on disc brakes by varying
the geometric and operational parameters. The research previously
discussed has focused on understanding the impact of various
design and material choices on the performance of disc brakes.
The current study builds on this previous research by introducing
a new design for the disc rotor and its behavior was analyzed while
under load. The analysis of the disc rotor was also conducted on
different materials by applying a force. In the new design the slots
are created on the disc rotor. The brake was analyzed under struc-
tural and transient thermal analysis using ANSYS 16.2. After apply-
ing the boundary conditions, the results such as total deformation,
von-mises stress, shear stress and strain, and total heat flux were
determined for various materials.

Fig. 2. New design of the brake disc.

2. Mathematical modelling

Figs. 1 and 2 depicts the existing and new design of the disc
brake system. The existing disc brake have 240 mm outer diameter
and 190 mm inner diameter with 5 mm thickness. On the surface  Assume that kinetic energy to be absorbed is 0.9.
of the disc, 5 mm holes in two rows are drilled. Whereas in the new  One MPa is considered the standard hydraulic pressure.
design the outer diameter is 320 mm and inner diameter is  The brake pad and rotor have the same coefficient of friction,
220 mm. The size of the drilled hole on the surface was reduced i.e., lI = lO
to 2 mm and slots are created on the surface having width of  Assume that ambient temperature is taken as 23 °C
2 mm. The following pertinent assumptions are made in order to  The stopping distance is taken as 50 m i.e., the vehicle is said to
estimate the brake contact area of the pad and operating condi- stop using 1 brake calliper,
tions such as force applied and temperature etc, that was shown  Overall covering angle for the brake pad was measured 42.5°.
in Table 1.  A FOS of 2.5 is taken into consideration for single stop surface
It is assumed that the vehicle weighs 300 kg in total. temperature rise due to vehicle has varying leverage and actu-
ation based on driving conditions.
 The two wheeler is assumed to move at a top speed of 100 kph,  The tangential clamping force (FTRI = FTRO, FRI = FRO) between
or v = 27.77 m/s. the brake pad and rotor on the inside is equivalent to the clamp-
 It is assumed that the axial weight distribution is 0.5. ing force on the outside.
 Assume that R eff = 0.12 m is the effective radius.

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C. Bhanuprakash, S. Venkata Sai sudheer, B. Bangarraju et al. Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Table 1 Grey cast iron material:

.

Parameter Values Grey cast iron discs can break and ductile cast iron is fragile,
Brake pad contact area 0.002 m 2 very unstable with wafers, and in our experience can deform very
Normal force (Inner face), FRI 1000 N easily. Grey cast iron Compressive Strength is very high, low tensile
Tangential reaction force (Inner face), FTRI 500 N Strength, high resistance to deformation. Its melting Point 1260 °C
Tangential reaction force (Outer face), FTRO 500 N and Very good resistant to oxidation. It is extremely sturdy and tol-
Tangential clamping force 1000 N
Brake torque, TB 120 N-m
erates almost all brake pads and especially sintered brake pads. It
is highly resistant to wear and tear and does not break and is extre-
Temperature calculations Values
mely heat resistant. It is the most common cast iron and the most
Braking period, d 3.6 s commonly used cast iron material as a function of weight. It is uti-
Kinetic energy 52053.98 J
lised for housings such cylinder blocks for internal combustion
Braking power, Pb 14459.44 W
Maximum contact area, A1 45238.93 mm2 engines, pump housings, valve bodies, electrical boxes, and decora-
Minimum contact area, A2 28352.87 mm2 tive castings when the stiffness of the component is more crucial
Net disc contact area, A 0.01688 m2 than its tensile strength.
Heat flux, q 856601.89 W/m2
FOS 2.5
Maximum Temparature, Tmax 250 °C
Ti6Al4V material

Titanium alloy with high strength, low density, high fracture

2.1. Structural & thermal calculations toughness, great corrosion resistance, and superior biocompatibil-
ity is Ti6Al4V alloy, also known as Ti64. Its chemical make-up is
2.2. Static & Thermal analysis composed of 6% aluminium, 4% vanadium, 0.25% iron, and 0.2%
oxygen and the remaining titanium. Alpha-beta titanium alloy Ti-
Static structural analysis is used to determine the effects of 6Al-4 V, also known as Ti64, has a high specific strength and excep-
mechanical loads on a structure or component under steady-state tional corrosion resistance. One of the most used titanium alloys, it
conditions. Transient thermal analysis, on the other hand, is used to is utilised in a variety of applications where low density and strong
determine the effects of temperature changes on a structure or com- corrosion resistance are required, such as the aerospace sector.
ponent over time. Together, these two types of analysis can provide a Both the early development of alloys and the more recent creation
comprehensive understanding of how a structure or component will of new Ti-alloy compositions were motivated by these desirable
perform under various conditions, including both mechanical and qualities. The latter have better strain-controlled and notch fatigue
thermal loads. ANSYS was used to do structural analysis and transient resistance, improved biocompatibility, and a lower elastic modu-
thermal analysis. Static structural analysis done by keeping the brake lus. However, titanium alloys’ weak shear strength and wear resis-
mount points fixed and applying a braking force to a specific area, tance have still restricted their usage in biomedicine.
such as the pad area on a disc. Fig. 3 depicts those points.
The amount of heat flow through the both sides of disc and the AISI 6150 material
film coefficient are key factors in the transient thermal analysis.
The velocity of the air around the disc affect the film coefficient. A carbon-chromium alloy steel with tiny grains and strong
Boundary circumstances include a maximum temperature of abrasion resistance is known as AISI 6150. This alloy has excellent
250 °C, an ambient temperature of 22 °C, and natural convection shock resistance and toughness under heat-treated conditions.
through the disc’s non-contact area. commonly used in hand tool components as well as extensively
stressed machinery parts such as shafts, gears, and pinions. AISI
four-digit designations are used to identify alloy steels. Compared
2.3. Material Properties
to carbon steels, they are more vulnerable to mechanical and heat
treatments. They consist of several steel kinds whose compositions
In the present work grey cast iron, AISI 6150 and Ti6Al4V mate-
go beyond the carbon steels’ restrictions on B, C, Mn, Mo, Ni, Si, Cr,
rial used for disc brake rotor. The detailed information regarding
and Va. For quenched and tempered springs, 51CrV4 is a
properties and usage is given below.

Fig. 3. Static structural condition in static analysis of existing design compared with proposed design.

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C. Bhanuprakash, S. Venkata Sai sudheer, B. Bangarraju et al. Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

high-strength quench and tempering steel. Heat slowly to 820– 3. Results and Discussions
840 °C, thoroughly soak, and then slowly cool in a furnace. Slowly
heat to 650–700 °C and completely soak. Allow the 6150 steel to be Figs. 4–6 depicts the contours of von mises stress of the brake
heated through an oil quench until it reaches the final hardening disc rotor with existing and proposed design by varying the brake
temperature of 830–860 °C. disk rotor material cast iron, AISI 6150 and Ti-6Al-4 V respectively.

Fig. 4. Von-mises stress of grey cast iron material comparing existing design with slotted ventilated disc rotor (Proposed design).

Fig. 5. Von-mises stress of AISI 6150 material comparing existing design with slotted ventilated disc rotor (Proposed design).

Fig. 6. Von-mises stress of Ti-6Al-4 V material comparing existing design with slotted ventilated disc rotor (Proposed design).

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C. Bhanuprakash, S. Venkata Sai sudheer, B. Bangarraju et al. Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Table 2 strength and a high ductility, which means that it can withstand
Maximum Von mises stress. high loads without experiencing significant deformation.
Material Existing Design Maximum Proposed Design Maximum Figs. 7, 8 and 9 depicts the contours of total deformation of the
von mises stress von mises stress brake disc rotor with existing and proposed design by varying the
Cast iron 263.76 251.59 brake disk rotor material cast iron, AISI 6150 and Ti-6Al-4 V
AISI 6150 248.33 242.4 respectively. For the cast iron brake rotor disc, the total deforma-
Ti-6A1–4 V 258.79 248.88 tion has been reduced from 0.41799 mm in the old design to
0.25608 mm in the new design, a decrease of approximately 39%.
Similarly, for the AISI 6150 brake rotor disc, the total deformation
has been reduced from 0.20768 mm in the old design to
The maximum von mises stresses of brake disc rotor is given in 0.2021 mm in the new design, a decrease of approximately 2.5%.
Table 2. It is observed that, the new proposed design is found to In the case of the Ti-6Al-4 V brake rotor disc, the total deformation
have lower maximum von Mises stresses for all materials studied has been reduced from 0.22893 mm in the old design to
when compared to the existing design. All three materials are 0.22662 mm in the new design, a decrease of approximately 1%.
undergoing similar levels of stress under the applied load. How- It is worth noting that all three materials have exhibited a reduc-
ever, AISI 6150 steel has a slightly lower von Mises stress than tion in total deformation in the new design, which indicates that
the other two materials (242.4 MPa), indicating that it may be able the changes made to the design have been effective in reducing
to withstand the loads better than the other materials. The reason deformation. However, the magnitude of the reduction in total
behind is, cast iron has relatively high thermal conductivity, which deformation varies between the materials. Cast iron has shown
is beneficial for heat dissipation (Fig. 10), but it is brittle and has the most significant reduction in total deformation (39%), while
relatively low ductility and low yield strength. Ti-6Al-4 V is a tita- AISI 6150 and Ti-6Al-4 V have shown smaller reductions in total
nium alloy that is known for its high strength-to-weight ratio and deformation (2.5% and 1% respectively). The reason for more reduc-
corrosion resistance. It also has a relatively high strength and high tion in total deformation for cast iron compared to other materials,
modulus of elasticity, which helps it to withstand loads without such as AISI 6150 and Ti-6Al-4 V, despite the same modification in
deforming significantly. AISI 6150 is a type of alloy steel that is the new design can be attributed to the properties of cast iron. Cast
known for its high strength and toughness, it has a high yield iron is known for its high strength and hardness, which makes it a

Fig. 7. Total deformation of grey cast iron material comparing existing design with slotted ventilated disc rotor (Proposed design).

Fig. 8. Total deformation of AISI 6150 material comparing existing design with slotted ventilated disc rotor (Proposed design).

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C. Bhanuprakash, S. Venkata Sai sudheer, B. Bangarraju et al. Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

suitable material for brake rotor discs. Additionally, it has a high This indicates that AISI 6150 may be the most suitable material
modulus of elasticity, which means that it is more resistant to for the brake rotor disc in terms of deformation.
deformation under load. This results in a lower total deformation Figs. 10, 11 and 12 depicts the contours of heat dissipation of
for cast iron as compared to other materials. The comparison the brake disc rotor with existing and proposed design by varying
between the materials shows that AISI 6150 has the least deforma- the brake disk rotor material cast iron, AISI 6150 and Ti-6Al-4 V
tion among the three materials, both in the old and new design. respectively. It is observed that the thermal heat flux generated

Fig. 9. Total deformation of Ti-6Al-4 V material comparing existing design with slotted ventilated disc rotor (Proposed design).

Fig. 10. Total heat flux of grey cast iron material comparing existing design with slotted ventilated disc rotor (Proposed design).

Fig. 11. Total heat flux of AISI 6150 material comparing existing design with slotted ventilated disc rotor (Proposed design).

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C. Bhanuprakash, S. Venkata Sai sudheer, B. Bangarraju et al. Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Fig. 12. Total heat flux of Ti-6Al-4 V material comparing existing design with slotted ventilated disc rotor (Proposed design).

under transient conditions is affected by both the design and the are taken into consideration, Material AISI 6150 gives the best
material of the rotor disc. In particular, a comparison of the heat results for disc brake rotors (ventilated with cross-drilled holes)
flux generated by the old and new design for the three materials because of less stress, deformation, shear stress, strain, and better
studied, cast iron, AISI 6150, and Ti-6Al-4 V, shows that the new heat transfer rate. In order to assist in reducing accidents, it is
design leads to an increase in the heat flux generated. For the cast important to consider the action force and friction force on the disc
iron rotor disc, the heat flux generated by the old design is brake new material. AISI 6150 material is more efficient and can
1.6121 W/mm^2 and the heat flux generated by the new design lead to more effective use, which can help reduce accidents.
is 2.2932 W/mm^2. This represents an increase of 42.2% in the heat
flux generated by the new design compared to the old design. For Data availability
the AISI 6150 rotor disc, the heat flux generated by the old design is
2.017 W/mm^2 and the heat flux generated by the new design is Data will be made available on request.
2.7467 W/mm^2. This represents an increase of 36.5% in the heat
flux generated by the new design compared to the old design. Declaration of Competing Interest
For the Ti-6Al-4 V rotor disc, the heat flux generated by the old
design is 0.67576 W/mm^2 and the heat flux generated by the The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
new design is 0.74277 W/mm^2. This represents an increase of cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
10.2% in the heat flux generated by the new design compared to to influence the work reported in this paper.
the old design.
It is worth noting that the new design increase the heat flux References
generated by the rotor disc made of cast iron is more as compared
to AISI 6150 and Ti-6Al-4 V. One possible reason for this is that cast [1] S.R. Abhang, D.P. Bhaskar, Design and analysis of disc brake, Int. J. Eng. Trends
Technol. 8 (4) (2014) 165–167.
iron has a lower thermal conductivity compared to AISI 6150 and
[2] Y.H. Mishra, V.R. Deulgaonkar, P.A. Makasre, Design and optimization of disc
Ti-6Al-4 V, which means that it is less able to dissipate heat gener- brake rotor (For two- wheeler), Int. Eng. Res. J. (2016) 288–300.
ated during braking. As a result, the heat generated by the braking [3] T.D. Gillespie, Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, Society of Automotive
process is more likely to be retained in the rotor disc made of cast Engineers, Inc., 400 Commonwealth drive Warrendele 45-76, 1992.
[4] R. Limpert, Brake Design, and Safety 3rd Edition, Society of Automotive
iron, leading to a higher heat flux. Additionally, the new design Engineers, 22-122, 1963, (ISBN: 978-0- 7680-3438-7).
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dissipation. Thermal Analysis of Brake Disc, SlideShare/Engineering, 2016.
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thermal analysis of disc brake using solidworks and Ansys, Int. J. Mech. Eng.
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[8] Palmer, Edward, Mishra, Rakesh, J.D. Fieldhouse, A computational fluid dynamic
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analysis on the effect of front row pin geometry on the aerothermodynamic
knowledge to good use and gain valuable experience. In terms of properties of a pin-vented brake disc, Proceedings of the Institution of
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