This study focuses on the design of disc brake and dynamic analysis of metal matrix composite (MMC)-based disc brake pads for a small car, using a representative volume element (RVE) approach. The brake caliper for the Formula car was designed based on the principles of vehicle dynamics. Following this, the brake pad was designed to suit the caliper. For the brake pad friction block, a ceramic particle reinforced AA6061 matrix composite was used. B \(_4\) C particles (5 wt%) served as the ceramic reinforcements. A suitable mesoscale RVE model was developed in ANSYS Design Modeler® software to compute the material properties, which were then applied to the macro model of the brake pad for dynamic analysis using the Explicit dynamics tool®. In this analysis, the oppositely positioned brake pads were held against the counter disc under a compressive force equal to the clamping force of the front caliper piston. The brake pad performance in terms of von Mises stress, equivalent elastic strain during the dynamic analysis, the sliding velocity, interface pressure, and frictional heating characteristics were studied in detail. The analysis demonstrated the effectiveness of using an RVE-based approach for accurately predicting the dynamic performance and thermo-mechanical behavior of MMC-based brake pads.
