Synergetic Analysis for Understanding Brake Particulate Emissions Through Multidisciplinary Approaches: AI Modelling, Numerical Simulation, and Experimental Validation

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Merten Stender
• Subject Area: Mechanics ; Applied Mechanics, Statics and Dynamics
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 545840087

Scientific consensus posits that contemporary automotive friction brakes discharge a commensurate quantity of particulate matter when compared to combustion engines. These friction brake particles present pronounced hazards to both human health and the environment, particularly in the context of escalating global urbanization. Presently, the intricate mechanisms governing particle release and emissions within the tribological circuit remain inadequately elucidated. The nuanced roles played by microscopic frictional surface topography, meso-scale spatial contact temperature fields, and macroscopic structural vibrations are poorly comprehended. Simultaneously, emissions under dynamic loads are a) propelled by enigmatic multi-factorial and multi-physical effects within high-dimensional spaces, b) subject to transient dynamical mechanisms spanning multiple scales, c) significantly influenced by load history effects and memory effects, and d) notably emitted during specific, albeit unknown, complex loading patterns coinciding with unfavorable friction surface states. This collaborative initiative seeks to comprehensively scrutinize brake particulate emissions through a series of sophisticated experiments, high-fidelity numerical simulations, and cutting-edge machine learning methodologies. The project aims to unveil the particle emission mechanisms intricately linked to multi-scale load history effects, thermo-mechanical dynamics, and friction surface properties. The project endeavors to seamlessly integrate numerical simulations with data-driven models. An anticipated methodological breakthrough aims to disrupt the scientific impasse surrounding friction under severe conditions, considering the interplay between tribological matter flow and thermomechanical mechanisms. The undertaking aspires to formulate an innovative particle reduction strategy cantered on friction surface preconditioning, thereby governing the tribological circuit. The collaborative efforts between Technische Universität Berlin and the University of Lille offer a distinctive opportunity for fundamental research, leveraging complementary laboratory equipment and domain expertise. Prof. P. Dufrénoy (Lille) oversees one of Europe's most advanced tribology testing facilities. This experimental setup, encompassing structural dynamics, particulate emissions, high-resolution interface temperature measurements, and frictional surface topographies simultaneously, currently stands unrivalled in Germany. Prof. M. Stender from (Berlin) is a foremost authority in data-driven modelling of frictional processes. A pioneer in applying big data analysis and deep learning to brake system behavior modelling, he actively explores sensor data fusion techniques, image data processing, and explicating AI models within the context of mechanical systems. The collaboration benefits from the prior research synergy of the applicants, indicating their effective teamwork in previous endeavors.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: France
• Partner Organisation: Agence Nationale de la Recherche / The French National Research Agency
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Philippe Dufrénoy