Effect of different braking conditions on fatigue crack propagation behaviour of train brake disc

Fatigue damage on the surface of brake discs can seriously affect the train braking safety. In this paper, the effect of various braking conditions on the crack propagation of train brake discs is investigated based on the co-simulation of Abaqus and Franc3D. The relationship of the braking mode, initial speed, braking time and braking force to the stress intensity factor, crack propagation rate, and propagation life is discussed. The findings show that the initial speed is the major factor influencing disc crack propagation during emergency and service braking, while the braking force and time are more important during ramp braking. Besides, the temperature increasing rate and temperature field distribution are significant factors influencing crack propagation. Thus, reasonable design of braking condition parameters can help slow down the crack propagation of brake discs and ensure the safety of braking.