Influence of the Friction Block Shape and Installation Angle of High-Speed Train Brakes on Brake Noise

Abstract In this study, experiments are conducted to evaluate the effects of friction block shapes and installation angles on the brake noise of high-speed trains on a customized small-scale brake dynamometer. Friction blocks in three different shapes (circle, triangle, and hexagon) and triangular/hexagonal friction blocks at different installation angles are used in the tests. The results indicate that the circular and triangular blocks exhibit low sound pressure with multiple harmonics, whereas the hexagonal friction block produces the highest sound pressure with a single dominant frequency. This difference is attributed to the high contact pressure and severe wear on the surface of the hexagonal friction block. Differences in the installation angle of the triangular/hexagonal friction blocks affect wear debris behavior, distribution of contact pressure, and contact state of the friction interface, consequently influencing noise performance.