Optimization of Brake System Parameters Using Genetic Algorithm

The design of brake system specification is an iterative process, where repeated calculations need to be performed to achieve the target brake performance and finalize the system parameters. Hence there is a need for a methodology to arrive at a set of optimized brake system parameters which can in turn reduce the brake system definition time. In this paper, the brake system dynamics of a passenger/commercial vehicle is mathematically modelled (divided into two parts i) foundation brake model ii) brake apply system model) and uses genetic algorithm to optimize the system parameters. The objective function maximizes the vehicle deceleration and arrives at the target brake feel which includes brake pedal effort and brake pedal travel. When compared to conventional method of brake design which uses iterative approach, this method has the capability to arrive at the optimized results at a faster rate.