Brake Vacuum Booster Characterization

Brake vacuum booster characteristics are of great importance to understanding overall brake system operation in light vehicles so equipped. In recent years, engineering reports relevant to traffic crash reconstruction have discussed, among related areas, the operation of brake booster systems at high applied brake pedal force levels and with various levels of vacuum available within the booster. A vehicle-testing framework is presented for characterizing and understanding the operation of a vacuum booster with pedal force ranging above the vacuum runout point, as well as booster operation relative to varying levels of available vacuum and patterns of depletion of stored vacuum. Concepts are illustrated with measurements of exemplar vehicles. The objective of this paper is to promote improved understanding of brake booster operation and to advance more precise articulation of related concepts within the crash reconstruction community.