Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 November 2007
This paper deals with the influence of thermal strains/stresses causedby braking on the fatigue life of cast nodular iron disc brakes forrailway vehicles. The thermal stresses have been experimentallyderived and the durability has been assessed for a breaking loadspectrum comprising 6000 stop brakings from 200 km/h, 3000 stopbrakings from 160 km/h, 1500 stop brakings from 120 km/h and30000 usual brakings periods slowing down from 90 km/h.The fatigue critical areas have been identified and a redesign of thediscs made it possible to afford the requested service life of3×106 km.