The frictional force of the wheel tread brake is governed by the contact pressure and the coefficient of friction between the two contacting surfaces. Uneven pressure distribution can cause temperature variations, heat spots, and thermal cracks on both the wheel and the friction material. It can also lead to uneven wear, shortening the service life of the wheel and brake shoe, and increasing maintenance costs. This study aimed to design an innovative brake shoe holder that achieves a more uniform contact pressure distribution between the wheel and the brake shoe. To evaluate the contact pressure, a finite element model comprising the brake shoe holder, brake shoe, and wheel was constructed, and numerical analyses were performed for brake shoe holders of various shapes. The proposed design reduced the maximum contact pressure and significantly increased the contact area between the wheel and the brake shoe friction material.
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Goo et al. (2026) studied this question.
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