Method of brake mechanisms thermal load control under the influence of automated braking system load modes

Introduction (problem statement and relevance). Most of the kinetic energy of a vehicle equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS) is damped due to friction work in the brakes. Besides the ABS function, the automated braking system implements a lot of functions of active safety and driver assistance systems by using regular service brake mechanisms as an actuator. Overheating of brakes, namely of their friction pairs, leads to the phenomenon of critical fading, which is accompanied by a sharp decrease in braking torque. Reducing the impact of this phenomenon is a very difficult task in terms of both taking into account the cost of the braking mechanism and its minimum complexity. The proposed procedure makes it possible to assess the influence of operation of various active safety and driver assistance systems on the thermal load of the brake mechanisms. The prospect of its expansion when creating new vehicle designs is also covered.The purpose of the study is to increase the reliability of brake mechanisms, braking characteristics stability by improvement of the procedure for calculation and reduction of the brake mechanism thermal load of the wheeled vehicles equipped with the automated brake system.Methodology and research methods. Theoretical and experimental studies were conducted in the paper. In the theoretical study, the main computational tool is the finite element method (FEM) with using of licensed software packages Abaqus CAE and SolidWorks Simulink.Scientific novelty and results. The thermal load estimation procedure for brake mechanisms of vehicles that are equipped with an automated brake system has been created. The calculation procedure developed takes into account the increase in the proportion of the vehicle kinetic energy that is extinguished in the brake mechanism of the vehicle equipped with different subsystem functions.Practical significance. Application of the developed complex calculation procedure with any thermal calculation complexes on the FEM basis will allow brake system developers to reduce the costs for intermediate tests for thermal load at the design stage, and upon that, the influence of functional subsystems of the automated brake system will be taken into account. Application of the suggested improvement of the monitoring and control systems for the automated brake system will reduce the probability of fading phenomenon occurrence.