11 Brake system

11.1 Braking fundamentals E x a m p l e (Fig. 11.1) A car of mass 800 kg is trav-

elling at 36 km/h. Determine the following:
11.1.1 The energy o f m o t i o n and work done in a) the kinetic energy it possesses,
b r a k i n g (Fig. 11.1) b) the average braking force to bring it to rest in 20
A moving vehicle possesses kinetic energy whose metres.
value depends on the weight and speed of the
vehicle. The engine provides this energy in order 36 x 1000
to accelerate the vehicle from a standstill to given a) V - 6 0 × 6 0 -- 1 0 m / s
speed, but this energy must be partially or totally Kinetic e n e r g y - '/2 m V2 - '/2 × 800 x 102
dissipated when the vehicle is slowed down or
= 40 kJ
brought to a standstill. Therefore it is the function
of the brake to convert the kinetic energy possessed b) Work done to stop car - change in vehicle's
by the vehicle at any one time into heat energy by kinetic energy
means of friction (Fig. 11.1). Fs -- V2 m V 2
The equation for kinetic energy, that is the
energy of motion, may be given by 20F - 40 000
40 000
Uk -- V z m V 2 • F= = 2000N
"" 20
where Uk = kinetic energy of vehicle (J)
=2kN
m = mass of vehicle (Kg)
V - speed of vehicle (m/s)
11.1.2 B r a k e stopping distance a n d efficiency
The work done in bringing the vehicle to rest is Braking implies producing a force which opposes
given by the motion of the vehicle's wheels, thereby reducing
the vehicle speed or bringing it to a halt. The force
Uw=Fs or resistance applied to stop a vehicle or reduce its
where Uw = work done (J) speed is known as the braking force.
F = average braking force (N) The braking efficiency of a vehicle is defined as
s = distance travelled (m) the braking force produced as a percentage of the
total weight of the vehicle, that is
When braking a moving vehicle to a standstill, Braking force
the work done by the brake drums must equal the Braking efficiency - W e i g h t of vehicle × 100.
initial kinetic energy possessed by the vehicle so that
When the braking force is equal to the whole
Uw - Uk, weight of the vehicle being braked, the braking
efficiency is denoted as 100%. The braking effi-
Fs - V2 m V 2
ciency is generally less than 100% because of insuf-
mV 2 ficient road adhesion, the vehicle is on a down
.'. Average brake force F = 2s (N) gradient or the brake system is ineffective.
The brake efficiency is similar to the coefficient
of friction which is the ratio of the frictional force
to the normal load between the rubbing surfaces.
V~ 0 ~ z-e
Friction force
i.e. Coefficient of friction =
Normal load
F
that is # -
applied F
i.e. r/-- ~ - / z
Fig. 11.1 Illustration of braking conditions

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