Friction brakes generate braking torque through the friction force between rotating (disk, drum) and non-rotating (pad, band) components. Drum-type brakes are primarily used in heavy-duty vehicles. To initiate braking, the shoe is pressed against the drum, creating contact pressure between the pressed surfaces. Tangential stresses arising from drum rotation produce the braking torque.

The braking torque in the brake mechanism depends on the contact pressure and the coefficient of friction between the compressed surfaces. With a large compressive force, the deformations of the drum and shoe differ, altering the drum's round cross-section and causing variations in braking force at different moments. Therefore, accurately determining contact pressure is crucial for drum brakes.

This article focuses on calculating braking torque by determining the deformations of the mold as close to real-world conditions as possible.