Development and validation of a thermal finite element simulation of a wheel bearing

Rolling bearings operating at high rotational speeds are subject to frictional losses that generate significant self-heating and may affect performance and durability. Predicting temperature fields in sealed wheel bearing assemblies is therefore essential for design and thermal management. In this work, an experimentally calibrated thermo-mechanical finite element framework is developed to simulate the thermal behavior of complete third-generation wheel bearings, including rolling contacts, sealing interfaces, and the surrounding test bench environment. Heat generation is introduced from measured friction torque and distributed at the ball–raceway and seal–hub contacts, while conduction and convection mechanisms are implemented through dedicated thermal boundary conditions. Convective parameters are identified from controlled cooling tests. The model is validated using a dedicated bench equipped with dynamic torque and infrared thermography measurements. Simulations are assessed on two-wheel bearings with significantly different geometries, without any additional parameter recalibration. Predicted steady-state temperatures show good agreement with experiments, with deviations remaining below 3%–5%. The proposed FEM methodology provides a transferable tool for analyzing internal temperature distributions in bearing components and supports predictive thermal design of wheel bearing systems.