Thermal Analysis of a Simplified Railway Brake Model with Numerical Simulation

The braking system is the most important safety device in all vehicles. When braking, the kinetic energy of the vehicle is converted into thermal energy. The use of friction brakes can cause problems in the long term, as the brake can heat up, reducing its coefficient of friction. Heating and cooling have a harmful effect on all frictional elements, causing material fatigue. As a result of the negative effects, the hot brake cannot reduce the velocity of the vehicle at the correct rate. In this paper, the propagation of frictional heat is analysed in a test specimen made of cast iron material using different numerical simulations. The computational results are validated with the results obtained during measurement. With proper validation, the brake discs are able to be modelled at different designs and materials without having to manufacture a test specimen for each case. In the study, it is important to point physical quantities to carry out the simulation. © 2025 Budapest University of Technology and Economics. All rights reserved.