A thermoviscoelastic beam model for brakes

A model for the dynamic thermomechanical behavior of a viscoelastic beam which is in frictional contact with a rigid rotating wheel is presented. It describes a simple braking system in which the wheel comes to a stop as a result of the frictional traction generated by the beam. Friction is modelled with a temperature and slip rate dependent coefficient of friction. Frictional heat generation is taken into account as well as the wheel temperature evolution, and the wear of the beamʹs contacting end. The model is formulated as a variational inequality. A FEM numerical scheme for the model is described, implemented, and the results of numerical simulations are shown.