Prediction of Load and Stiffness Characteristics of Pneumatic Tires by Computer Modeling Methods

Abstract

Methods are considered for calculation of load and stiffness characteristics of pneumatic tires of radial and diagonal design, as well as modeling of flat and curvilinear motion of a car wheel with pneumatic tires. The calculated values of load characteristic and radial stiffness of 235/55R17 passenger tire and 46/90R57 all-steel truck tire obtained by finite element modeling in MSC.Marc software package are compared with the results of Biderman model calculation. In a quasi-static setting, the rolling process of the wheel with the 235/55R17 passenger car tire is analyzed in flat motion at a speed of 90 km/h and a rotational speed of 10.1–13.5 Hz. The following load and stiffness characteristics of the tire affecting smooth running, stability and controllability of the wheel are determined: dependence of the rolling radius on torque, circumferential stiffness, dependence of traction with the road surface on the amount of slip, coefficient of slip resistance, dependencies of lateral force and stabilizing torque on the angle of lateral skid.

Keywords

• car wheel
• pneumatic tire
• static load characteristics
• stiffness indices
• stationary rolling
• contact patch
• finite element method