Mechanistic investigation of friction-induced vibration and noise behaviors of lightweight brake material

Abstract The vibration and noise issues of lightweight friction pairs in suburban train braking systems have become a critical bottleneck restricting their engineering application. This study investigated lightweight friction pairs composed of three representative synthetic brake pads and an aluminum matrix composite brake disc. Utilizing tribological tests, interfacial wear analysis, and dynamic modeling, the study investigated the impact of interfacial wear and contact behaviors on vibration and noise and elucidated the mechanisms by which pad material properties influence these responses. The experimental findings revealed that the pad material properties significantly affect the wear behavior and friction-induced vibration and noise responses of lightweight friction pairs. The pad enriched with lubricating phases (Pad A) readily established stable lubricating films, while the highly plastic pad (Pad C) effectively captured wear debris to build the third-body layers that cushioned loads. Both reduced friction fluctuations and contact stiffness, thereby attenuating vibration and noise. Conversely, the high-hardness pad (Pad B) failed to form continuous lubricating films, leading to intensified friction, higher contact stiffness, and pronounced vibration and noise. Numerical simulations further confirmed that the friction coefficient and normal contact stiffness synergistically regulated system stability, directly affecting the vibration and noise responses. Systems characterized by high friction and large contact stiffness (Pad B) were particularly susceptible to modal coupling, resulting in dynamic instability and elevated vibration and noise levels. Therefore, optimizing the pad material properties and regulating the behavior of wear debris to facilitate the stable formation of lubricating films or third-body layers can effectively suppress friction coefficient fluctuations, reduce normal contact stiffness, and enhance interfacial stability, thereby mitigating vibration and noise. The findings provide a theoretical foundation and engineering guidance for optimizing the design of low-noise lightweight braking systems and selecting appropriate friction materials.