Investigation of analytical beam and annular plate models for automotive disc brake vibration

In this paper two analytical models of automotive disc brake vibration will be presented and compared to experimental measurements. The first model approximates the brake disc as a simple beam structure with cyclo-symmetric boundary conditions. Since the beam model is a one-dimensional approach and, therefore, the modelling of the inner boundary conditions of the brake disc is impossible, a second model based upon Kirchhoff’s plate theory is also presented. The mode shapes and natural frequencies of a static disc with different inner boundary conditions are calculated and compared to experimental vibration and sound pressure measurements of a brake disc made upon a static test rig. Additionally, a set of initial measurements made upon a spinning disc rig are also discussed.