Keywords: brake block, cast iron, brake test, braking performance, mechanical property, finite element analysis.

This study investigates the braking performance and stress characteristics of cast iron brake blocks featuring different slit configurations, developed for electric and diesel multiple units operating in cold and snowy regions. Bench tests were conducted using two brake block types – Type A with conventional slit geometry and Type B with alternating non through slits – to evaluate friction coefficient, braking distance, wear behaviour, and stress distribution. Normal operation brake tests showed minimal performance differences between the two types, while emergency brake tests demonstrated that Type B achieved approximately 10% shorter braking distances at high speeds. Type B exhibited slightly greater wear, attributed to its larger slit area and reduced apparent contact area. Stress measurements using strain gauges revealed that, although Type B experienced higher tensile stress at the slit bottom during wheel stoppage, the stresses acting directly on the slit area during braking were reduced by nearly 70% compared with Type A. Finite element analysis further supported the experimental trends, confirming stress concentration at slit bottoms and overall consistency with measured values. These results suggest that the alternating slit design of Type B offers equal or superior braking performance while effectively reducing maximum stresses acting on the brake block.

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