Transient simulation and uncertainty analysis of brake systems using a fuzzy-parameterized multibody system approach

Brake-system dynamics still represents a key question for the understanding and quantification of self-excited vibrations in automotive applications. Conventionally, the dynamics of brake systems is analyzed by using complex eigenvalue analysis, which consists of linearizing the nonlinear equations of motion at a sliding state and solving the quadratic eigenvalue problem there. This method, however, only reproduces the local vibration behavior, tends to overestimate the number of instabilities, and its resulting complex eigenvectors do not provide amplitudes for the vibrations. Thus, in order to overcome these difficulties, alternative methods for the modeling, simulation, and analysis of friction-induced vibrations need to be addressed. In this contribution, as an alternative, a time-domain investigation of an industrial brake system based on elastic multibody systems is proposed. Moreover, since the occurrence of brake squeal is a highly parameter-dependent phenomenon, uncertainties are considered using fuzzy arithmetical methods.