Selection of automotive brake friction composites reinforced by agro-waste and natural fiber: An integrated multi-criteria decision-making approach

The aim of this study is to develop a method for selecting and ranking automotive brake friction composite materials made from agro-waste and natural fibers. This is achieved by using an integrated multi-criteria decision-making methodology. Consequently, six composite samples are produced by reinforcing rice husk, rice husk ash, and Grewia optiva fiber. These samples are then assessed for their frictional properties using a laboratory-scale brake tribometer, in accordance with the requirements outlined in SAE J2522 standard. The selection criteria are based on the analyzed tribological parameters, which include friction coefficients, wear, and friction fluctuations fade-recovery performances. The CRITIC (criteria importance through intercriteria correlation) method was used to determine the importance of criteria for performance evaluation. Based on CRITIC analysis, the average friction coefficient (0.1592), recovery-3 (0.1363), friction fluctuations (0.1347), and performance friction coefficient (0.1240) were identified as the key criteria. The use of MARCOS (measurement of alternatives and ranking according to compromise solution) for ranking assessment reveals that composite materials reinforced with rice husk ash exhibit the most favorable tribological characteristics. The validation of the ranking using different decision-making tools demonstrates the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed approach.