Development of Brake Shoe with Carbon Footprint Reduction

Considered one of the greenest forms of transport, the rail industry is at an exciting point pursuing several key initiatives to decarbonise its operations, assets, and supply chains. Therefore, having a brake shoe with a lower carbon footprint is essential for achieving the goals related to decarbonizing the operation, as it is a wear item. For this purpose, a carbon footprint measurement methodology was applied to the development of a friction material for railway brake shoes in order to reduce the carbon footprint generated in the production of the material, combining a sustainable material with greater durability in operation, thus reducing the total cost of ownership. In order to assess the advantages of the new product, a comparative analysis was carried out of the carbon footprint of the conventional shoe and the new railway shoe proposal, both used in the same application, considering the performance and environmental impact of each raw material and stage of the production process. This assessment was carried out by compiling and analyzing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the entire life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials, through all the links in its production chain to the gate, in accordance with ABNT ISO/TS 14067:2018. Performance was also assessed based on the AAR M-926 standard using a 1:1 scale inertial dynamometer capable of simulating the various operating conditions following the specifications of the Brazilian market. The comparative analysis showed that the new railway shoe is a more sustainable option, as it emits 43% less greenhouse gases than the conventional shoe (avoiding 4.7 kg of CO2e in the environment). The performance results also indicated a durability gain of 20% compared to conventional brake shoes.