Comparing braking torque estimation approaches for active health monitoring of braking systems in aircraft

In aircraft braking, actuators must dissipate most of the aircraft mechanical energy, leading to an elevated degradation phenomenon which can impact the operating performances and compromise the safety of the maneuver. The health status of the component is related to its capability to deliver the right amount of output torque for a given required pressure, so that its health condition is directly related to the braking torque and pressure. To design and realize active monitoring systems, having a reliable torque estimation is essential. In this work we propose and compare different solutions for torque estimation in aircraft, and evaluate merits and drawbacks using a realistic set of operating conditions tested on a high-fidelity nonlinear aircraft model.