QUICK FIX FOR WASHINGTON METRO BRAKE SQUEAL

When the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) made some changes in the brake system configuration of pads and discs to increase the wear life of the brake system in the fall of 1980, the quality, duration, and frequency of brake squeal increased dramatically, causing citywide complaints and adverse publicity. A quick fix had to be found within a few weeks to mitigate this squeal and avoid further losses of ridership. A test program was designed to find a solution simple enough to incorporate into the system immediately. Several configurations of brake pads were tested and a "quiet pad" that does not generate the annoying squeal was found among those pads made available to WMATA. Abex 1389 pads were retrofitted to the system, and the squeal disappeared. (Author)

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1983/896/896-013.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=QUICK+FIX+FOR+WASHINGTON+METRO+BRAKE+SQUEAL&author=G.+Sastry&author=E.+Green&publication_year=1982
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309035082
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Instrumentation Principles and Applications. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Sastry, Gummuluru N
  • Green Jr, Edgar C
• Publication Date: 1982

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 71-74
• Monograph Title: Hydrology and hydraulics: water, noise and air quality
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 896
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acoustic measuring instruments; Acoustics; Brake shoes; Disc brakes; Instrumentation; Noise control; Noise sources; Passenger comfort; Retrofitting; Spectrum analysis
• Identifier Terms: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
• Uncontrolled Terms: Noise reduction
• Old TRIS Terms: Acoustic measurement; Pads
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00373412
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309035082
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 30 1983 12:00AM