A new approach to numerical simulation using the finite element method (FEM) for the rotational motion of discs for railway vehicle disc brake systems was proposed. For this purpose, spatial models of transient heating due to the friction of such systems with solid and ventilated discs were developed. The performed calculations and the results obtained allowed justification of the possibility of simplifying the shape of the ventilated brake disc through elimination of ventilation channels. This contributes to a significant reduction in computational time, without compromising the accuracy of the results. The spatial and temporal temperature distributions in the ventilated and the solid disc of the same mass were analyzed. The share of energy dissipated due to convection and thermal radiation to the environment in relation to the total work done during a single braking was investigated. The maximum temperature values found as a result of computer simulations were consistent with the corresponding experimental results.
Keywords: finite element method; frictional heating; moving heat source; railway disc brake; temperature.