Automotive disc brake squeal

Disc brake squeal remains an elusive problem in the automotive industry. Since the early 20th century, many investigators have examined the problem with experimental, analytical, and computational techniques, but there is as yet no method to completely suppress disc brake squeal. This paper provides a comprehensive review and bibliography of works on disc brake squeal. In an effort to make this review accessible to a large audience, background sections on vibrations, contact and disc brake systems are also included.     

Suppression of brake squeal noise applying finite element brake and pad model enhanced by spectral-based assurance criteria

An enhanced dynamic finite element (FE) model with friction coupling is applied to analyze the design of disc brake pad structure for squeal noise reduction. The FE model is built-up from the individual brake component representations. Its interfacial structural connections and boundary conditions are determined by correlating to a set of measured frequency response functions using a spectral-based assurance criterion. The proposed friction coupling formulation produces an asymmetric system stiffness matrix that yields a set of complex conjugate eigenvalues. The analysis shows that eigenvalues possessing positive real parts tend to produce unstable modes with the propensity towards the generation of squeal noise. Using a proposed lumped parameter model and eigenvalue sensitivity study, beneficial pad design changes can be identified and implemented in the detailed FE model to determine the potential improvements in the dynamic stability of the system. Also, a selected set of parametric studies is performed to evaluate numerous design concepts using the proposed dynamic FE model. The best pad design attained, which produces the least amount of squeal response, is finally validated by comparison to a set of actual vehicle test results.     

Minimal models for disk brake squeal

Numerous publications on the modeling of disk brake squeal can be found in the literature. Recent publications describe the onset of disk brake squeal as an instability of the trivial solution resulting from the non-conservative friction forces even for a constant friction coefficient. Therefore, a minimal model of disk brake squeal must contain at least two degrees of freedom. A literature review of minimal models shows that there is still a lack of a minimal model describing the basic behavior of disk brake squeal which can easily be associated to an automotive disk brake.Therefore, a new minimal model of a disk brake is introduced here, showing an obvious relation to the technical system. In this model, the vibration of the disk is taken into account, as it plays a dominant role in brake squeal. The model is analyzed with respect to its stability behavior, and consequences in using it in the optimization of disk brake systems are discussed.     

Analysis of brake squeal noise using the finite element method: A parametric study

Brake squeal noise has been under investigation by automotive manufacturers for decades due to consistent customer complaints and high warranty costs. J.D. Power surveys consistently show brake noise as being one of the most critical vehicle quality measurements. Furthermore, the development of methods to predict noise occurrence during the design of a brake system has been the target of many researchers in recent years.This paper summarizes the application of complex eigenvalue analysis in a finite element model of a commercial brake system. The effect of the operational parameters (friction coefficient, braking pressure and brake temperature) and wear on the dynamic stability of the brake system is examined. After identifying unstable frequencies and the behavior of the brake system under different conditions, the performance of some control methods are tested. Changes in material properties and the application of brake noise insulators are presented and their effects discussed.The results show that the effect of brake temperature changes the coupling mechanisms between rotor and pad, which in some cases can be useful in order to reduce the instabilities and generated noise. Wear is an operational condition that has an strong effect on the system instability, since stiffness properties of brake pads are influenced by the changes on geometry and on the friction material, leading to high-frequency noise generation when the system is in the end of its lifetime. Application of brake insulators requires a detailed investigation of the system since, for some cases, an increase on the system damping does not balance changes on stiffness, leading the system to instability and noise.     

The method of feed-in energy on disc brake squeal

Brake squeal is studied in this paper by feed-in energy analysis. Based on the brake closed-loop coupling model, a calculation method of feed-in energy for squeal mode is derived. Result of the feed-in energy indicates squeal tendency of the brake system, while formula for calculating it discloses the relation among brake squeal phenomenon and structural parameters, such as frictional coefficient, geometric shape of brake pads, elastic modulus of frictional material, substructure modal shape, etc. The method also helps to analyze the effectiveness of various structural modification schemes attempted to eliminate the squeal noise. Finally, this method is illustrated by application to a typical squealing disc brake.     

A note on safety-relevant vibrations induced by brake squeal

Brake squeal is mostly considered as a comfort problem only but there are cases in which self-excited vibrations of the brake system not only cause an audible noise but also result in safety-relevant failures of the system. In particular this can occur if lightweight design rims having very low damping are used. Considering the special conditions of lightweight design rims, a minimal model for safety-relevant self-excited vibrations of brake systems is presented. It is shown that most of the knowledge emanated from investigations of the comfort problem can be used to understand and avoid safety-relevant failures of the brake system.     

Modal Amplitude Stability Analysis and its application to brake squeal

In the present study, a new approach is proposed to predict the occurrence of squeal in brake systems. This strategy, called Modal Amplitude Stability Analysis (MASA), is based on the calculation of the first harmonic state-space system of nonlinear original equations using a specific linearization of the nonlinear contact forces at the frictional interfaces. An estimation of the occurrence and generation of increasing self-excited vibration is proposed on the basis of monitoring and the evolution of the real parts of the dynamic system considered as a function of modal amplitudes.     

Analysis of disc brake squeal using the complex eigenvalue method

A new functionality of ABAQUS/Standard, which allows for a nonlinear analysis prior to a complex eigenvalue extraction in order to study the stability of brake systems, is used to analyse disc brake squeal. An attempt is made to investigate the effects of system parameters, such as the hydraulic pressure, the rotational velocity of the disc, the friction coefficient of the contact interactions between the pads and the disc, the stiffness of the disc, and the stiffness of the back plates of the pads, on the disc squeal. The simulation results show that significant pad bending vibration may be responsible for the disc brake squeal. The squeal can be reduced by decreasing the friction coefficient, increasing the stiffness of the disc, using damping material on the back plates of the pads, and modifying the shape of the brake pads.     

Eigenvalue optimization against brake squeal: Symmetry,mathematical background and experiments

Brake squeal is still a challenge for design engineers and scientists. Due to cost reasons for the avoidance of brake noise only passive measures are meaningful for a broad industrial range. Many countermeasures against squeal are based on the introduction of damping, for example by using shims. In the literature on the modeling of brake squeal, the structural properties of the brake disc are most often not considered. It has however been shown analytically and experimentally that the stiffness properties of the disc are important and that splitting of double modes of the disc has a stabilizing effect. This knowledge can be used for structural optimization of brake rotors. The goal of this paper is to exploit the potential and to discuss some mathematical difficulties. Furthermore, experimental evidence for the relation of rotor asymmetry and squeal is given.     

Modelling of squeal noise attenuation of ring damped wheels

The called vibratory instability squeal that appears in narrow curve or in end of braking is today uncontrolled and produced a high pitched noise very intense and unbearable. Many systems have been developed to limit acoustic emissions and particularly the metallic ring damping solution. Attenuation can reach 20 dB depending on the wheel type (Corail, safety wheel, etc.). However, the question is why this system has a various efficiency even on similar wheels and if this solution may be optimized. The aim of this paper is to understand the attenuation mechanisms of the ring dampers. Wheel modes susceptible to squeal are highlighted and numerical models are developed in order to simulate how the acoustic attenuation occur.     

Wheel/rail noise—Part II: Wheel squeal

A model is presented for the intense pure-tone noise generated by American subway cars and German trams when traversing tight curves. Squeal is presumed to arise from lateral crabbing of the wheels across the rail head, which results from the finite length of the truck (or bogie). This lateral sticking and slipping causes vibrations in the wheel to increase until a stable amplitude is reached. The stick-slip mechanism is described by a negative damping coefficient that varies with vibration amplitude. The model is used to predict the intensity of wheel squeal as a function of train speed, curve radius, and truck length. Damped and resilient wheels were tested and found effective at reducing wheel squeal.     

Brake squeal reduction of vehicle disc brake system with interval parameters by uncertain optimization

An uncertain optimization method for brake squeal reduction of vehicle disc brake system with interval parameters is presented in this paper. In the proposed method, the parameters of frictional coefficient, material properties and the thicknesses of wearing components are treated as uncertain parameters, which are described as interval variables. Attention is focused on the stability analysis of a brake system in squeal, and the stability of brake system is investigated via the complex eigenvalue analysis (CEA) method. The dominant unstable mode is extracted by performing CEA based on a linear finite element (FE) model, and the negative damping ratio corresponding to the dominant unstable mode is selected as the indicator of instability. The response surface method (RSM) is applied to approximate the implicit relationship between the unstable mode and the system parameters. A reliability-based optimization model for improving the stability of the vehicle disc brake system with interval parameters is constructed based on RSM, interval analysis and reliability analysis. The Genetic Algorithm is used to get the optimal values of design parameters from the optimization model. The stability analysis and optimization of a disc brake system are carried out, and the results show that brake squeal propensity can be reduced by using stiffer back plates. The proposed approach can be used to improve the stability of the vehicle disc brake system with uncertain parameters effectively.     

Structural optimization of an asymmetric automotive brake disc with cooling channels to avoid squeal

Brake squeal is still a major issue in the automotive industry due to comfort complaints of passengers and resulting high warranty costs. Many measures to avoid squeal have been discussed in the engineering community reaching from purely passive measures like the increase of damping, e.g. by the application of shims, to the active or semiactive suppression of squeal. While active measures can be effective but are elaborate and therefore more expensive, passive measure are less complex in most cases. This leads to the necessity to develop passive, economic and robust measures to avoid squeal. Asymmetry of the brake rotor has been proposed to achieve this goal and the resulting split of all double eigenfrequencies of the brake rotor has lately been shown to stabilize the system.     

Finite element modelling for the investigation of in-plane modes and damping shims in disc brake squeal

Squeal propensity of the in-plane modes and the constrained-layer type damping shims for disc brake system is investigated by using the finite element method. Theoretical formulation is derived for a rotating disc in contact with two stationary vibrating pads attached to the damping shim components. By the conversion from the theoretical to FE brake model, the full equations of motion for the actual disc brake system describes the disc rotation, the in-plane friction characteristics and damping shims in association with squeal vibration. It is concluded from the results that the in-plane torsion modes can be generated by the negative friction slope, but they cannot be controlled by the damping shims. The in-plane radial mode is also investigated and found to be very insensitive in squeal generation.     

Effectiveness of multilayer viscoelastic insulators to prevent occurrences of brake squeal: A numerical study

The purpose of this publication is to give an overview of the actual role of multi-layered viscoelastic parts, so called “shims”, to prevent squeal noises of automotive brake systems. Since shear stress is usually used to damp thin structures in their bending modes it is commonly believed to be the largest underwent by shims. To check this assumption and considering that stresses underwent by shims cannot be measured experimentally, the authors have computed them with the help of a detailed and realistic finite element model. Contrary to what shims manufacturers say, this study exhibits the fact that shims are almost uniquely solicited in their normal direction in brake systems. Secondly, the study focuses on the added damping and stiffening induced by the viscoelastic materials. In order to take into account these materials, a realistic frequency dependent viscoelastic behavior has been integrated in the simulations. Finally, the study shows certains eigenmodes for which the viscoelastic behavior of the shims reveals instabilities that would not exist without it. It is shown that this is due to coalescence phenomenon.     

Chaos induced by noise in a four-frequency ring gas laser

In a four-frequency class A ring gas laser with linear coupling of elliptically polarized counterpropagating waves, periodic regimes of lasing with oscillations of the intensity of one of the waves close to the threshold were revealed. Stochastization of these oscillations in the presence of a low-level δ-correlated white noise gives rise to the appearance of asymmetric chaos, evolving with a change in the detuning from the line center to symmetric chaos.