Structural Integrity Assessment of the Aluminum Based Composite Materials Applied in Disc Brakes

This study investigates hybrid brake-pad composites made by adding different percentages of silicon carbide (15% and 20% SiC) and zinc oxide (10%, 15%, and 20% ZnO). The goal was to find a composite that improves brake working efficiency. Wear and hardness tests were carried out according to ASTM standards. The experimental results were analyzed using Design of Experiments method to study how wear changes over time under different loads. Time-series trend analysis visualizes how the specific wear rate developed. The results showed that sample A5 had the best wear resistance and certified A5 as the optimum structural stability over time composite sample. The hardest samples were A2 and A5. The best composite was selected for a static structural analysis using ANSYS 2022-R1 to evaluate stress, strain, deformation, and elastic energy. The thermal analysis examined heat distribution, heat generation, and heat flux in the hybrid composite material. The numerical results showed that stress levels are lower at outer surfaces compared to the inner regions. The outer surfaces exhibit a uniform distribution heat flux. Directional heat flux showed a slight increase near the inner radius, the disk protrusions and edges. These findings clarified how the optimal composite behaves under braking conditions.