Influence of load and inflation pressure on the tyre rolling resistance

Tyre load and inflation pressure are important factors controlling rolling resistance of road vehicles. The article presents results obtained in the Technical University of Gdańsk during laboratory and road measurements of different car tyres rolling on different pavements. The knowledge of rolling resistance characteristics is important for modelling car dynamics as well as fuel consumption. It is also necessary to establish proper test conditions in the future standardized on-road method of measuring rolling resistance. The results indicate that while an increase of load always leads to the increase of rolling resistance force, the influence on Coefficient of Rolling Resistance is more complicated and unpredictable. They also indicate that tyres with high rolling resistance are more sensitive to inflation pressure changes than low rolling resistance tyres.     

Laboratory alignment procedure for improving reproducibility of tyre wet grip measurement

Since 2012, the Korean and EU governments have been running a tyre labelling system. All tyres sold in Korea have to carry a label that displays information of two performance criteria: rolling resistance and wet grip. The rolling resistance of the tyres determines their fuel efficiency grading, and the wet grip of the tyres determines their braking safety grading. The rolling resistance and wet grip measurements must be reproducible, so the same tests on the same tyres in different laboratories must produce the same results to ensure a fair comparison between tyres from different suppliers. In addition, a good reproducibility of testing results prevents market surveillance authorities from obtaining results different from those provided by suppliers when testing the same tyres. The laboratory alignment procedure for the rolling resistance measurements was developed and published as the EU Commission Regulation No. 1235 in 2011. However, the laboratory alignment procedure for the wet grip measurements has not yet been developed. Therefore, there are many differences in the wet grip test results among test laboratories throughout the world. The new procedure that is proposed for the wet grip measurement alignment for tyre testing laboratories can improve the reproducibility of the wet grip testing results, and five laboratory alignment tests were carried out between KATECH and five other test laboratories in the world to evaluate the results of the proposed procedure.     

Investigation of Features of Tyre Rolling at Non-Small Velocities on the Basis of a Simple Tyre Model with Distributed Mass Periphery

SUMMARY

On the basis of the brush-type tyre model the paper considers the interaction between steady-state rolling deformable wheel and flat road surface as well as corresponding force and moment characteristics of the wheel.

At least two zones of sliding, anisotropic dry friction, sliding friction coefficient speed-dependent and instantaneous leap of the friction coefficient when transition from sliding to adhesion zone occurs, have been taken into account, as well as distributed peripheral mass of tyre, elasticity, pseudo-dry friction and damping properties in radial, tangential and lateral directions of the elements at the wheel periphery, including a visco-elastic belt. Vertical force distribution in the contact area is not supposed to be known in advance and follows from the calculation. As a result, sliding zone lengths, distributed forces in contact area, six components of generalized road reaction reduced to the wheel center, and rolling resistance moment are found as functions of vertical load, movement velocity, longitudinal and side slip, friction in contact area with road, stiffnesses, dry friction and damping in the tyre model elements and of distributed peripheral mass.

A computer program developed in Fortran and results of calculations are of particular interest for qualitative analysis including steady rolling of studded tyre and also racing car and aircraft tyres which peripheral mass shows itself in a special way because of great movement velocities.     

抗滑水轮胎技术的新发展

轮胎在湿路面上的行驶性能关系到汽车的安全性。阐述了国外开发的三种新型抗滑水轿车轮胎的设计思想，结构特点以及主要性能，介绍了提高轮胎在潮湿带水路面上行驶性能的新技术及其新发展，对开发国产高性能轿车轮肥具有现实的参考借鉴意义。     

Sliding mode-based lateral vehicle dynamics control using tyre force measurements

In this work, a lateral vehicle dynamics control based on tyre force measurements is proposed. Most of the lateral vehicle dynamics control schemes are based on yaw rate whereas tyre forces are the most important variables in vehicle dynamics as tyres are the only contact points between the vehicle and road. In the proposed method, active front steering is employed to uniformly distribute the required lateral force among the front left and right tyres. The force distribution is quantified through the tyre utilisation coefficients. In order to address the nonlinearities and uncertainties of the vehicle model, a gain scheduling sliding-mode control technique is used. In addition to stabilising the lateral dynamics, the proposed controller is able to maintain maximum lateral acceleration. The proposed method is tested and validated on a multi-body vehicle simulator.     

Environmental effects on Pacejka’s scaling factors

A set of scaling factors has been introduced by Pacejka [Pacejka, H.B., 2002, Tyre and Vehicle Dynamics (Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann Editions)] into his Magic Formula tyre model to take into account the influence of a number of external overall parameters such as road roughness, weather conditions, suspension characteristics and so on. These scaling factors are important for a correct prediction of tyre–road contact forces, but are not a function of the tyre itself. Changing the point of view, one could say that scaling factors should remain constant for different tyres on the same circuit, with the same weather conditions and with the same car. After characterizing different tyres through indoor tests (that do not consider external overall parameters) and after having identified Pacejka’s coefficients with scaling factors equal to one, several outdoor experimental tests have been carried out to assess the influence of vehicle and road surface conditions on scaling factors. These experimental data allowed us to identify, through a minimization approach, the ‘best’ set of Pacejka’s scaling factors for that vehicle and for that tyre on that track. Scaling factors for equal track and vehicle but different tyres were compared to check whether their values remained constant. To access the validity of scaling factors, a comparison between experimental data, collected on an instrumented passenger car, and MB simulations considering unity and identified scaling factors’ values, were carried out. All experimental data shown in this article come from tests carried out within the VERTEC project, a European founded research project (Task 2.a and 2.b) that puts together knowledge coming from vehicle manufacturers (Volvo, Porsche and Centro Ricerche Fiat CRF), tyre manufacturers (Pirelli and Nokian Tyres), control logic manufacturers (Lucas Varity GmbH), road maintenance experts (Centres d’Études Techniques de l’Équipement CETE), transport research organizations (Transport Research Laboratory TRL, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute VTI) and universities (Helsinki University of Technology HUT, Politecnico di Milano and University of Florence UNIFI).     

Estimation of longitudinal speed robust to road conditions for ground vehicles

This article seeks to develop a longitudinal vehicle velocity estimator robust to road conditions by employing a tyre model at each corner. Combining the lumped LuGre tyre model and the vehicle kinematics, the tyres internal deflection state is used to gain an accurate estimation. Conventional kinematic-based velocity estimators use acceleration measurements, without correction with the tyre forces. However, this results in inaccurate velocity estimation because of sensor uncertainties which should be handled with another measurement such as tyre forces that depend on unknown road friction. The new Kalman-based observer in this paper addresses this issue by considering tyre nonlinearities with a minimum number of required tyre parameters and the road condition as uncertainty. Longitudinal forces obtained by the unscented Kalman filter on the wheel dynamics is employed as an observation for the Kalman-based velocity estimator at each corner. The stability of the proposed time-varying estimator is investigated and its performance is examined experimentally in several tests and on different road surface frictions. Road experiments and simulation results show the accuracy and robustness of the proposed approach in estimating longitudinal speed for ground vehicles.     

A model for prediction of the transient rolling resistance of tyres based on inner-liner temperatures

Measurements of rolling resistance in thermal equilibrium of a tyre, like measurements according to ISO 28580, do not allow statements about rolling resistances under other driving conditions. Such statements, however, are necessary to determine the energy consumption in driving cycles. Especially for the proper calculation of electric-vehicle remaining ranges and the selection of the respective driving strategies, the real amount of energy consumption is required. This paper presents a model approach, which by means of only one standardised rolling resistance measurement can be parameterised and, considering the present driving speed and tyre temperature, can predict the respective current rolling resistance.     

轮胎径向尺寸对加速行驶车外噪声的影响

为了准确获取轮胎径向尺寸变化对加速行驶车外噪声试验的影响,文章采用同一辆乘用车换装2种型号轮胎,依据GB1495—2002《汽车加速行驶车外噪声限值及测量方法》进行对比试验。结果显示,轮胎径向尺寸变化会对加速行驶车外噪声试验结果产生影响,并指出采用径向尺寸较小的轮胎,加速行驶车外噪声试验过程中汽车发动机转速越高,噪声试验最终结果也越大。文章建议将轮胎尺寸的差异列为车型判定的条件。     

Longitudinal wheel slip during ABS braking

Anti-lock braking system (ABS) braking tests with two subcompact passenger cars were performed on dry and wet asphalt, as well as on snow and ice surfaces. The operating conditions of the tyres in terms of wheel slip were evaluated using histograms of the wheel slip data. The results showed different average slip levels for different road surfaces. It was also found that changes in the tyre tread stiffness affected the slip operating range through a modification of the slip value at which the maximum longitudinal force is achieved. Variation of the tyre footprint length through modifications in the inflation pressure affected the slip operating range as well. Differences in the slip distribution between vehicles with different brake controllers were also observed. The changes in slip operating range in turn modified the relative local sliding speeds between the tyre and the road. The results highlight the importance of the ABS controller's ability to adapt to changing slip–force characteristics of tyres and provide estimates of the magnitude of the effects of different tyre and road operating conditions.     

Tyre rolling kinematics and prediction of tyre forces and moments: part II – simulation and experiment

There are two aims for the second part of this paper: verifying the theory presented in the first part through parameter variation and comparison between simulation and experiment, and to study the effect of the belt structure on the cornering properties of radial tyres. Research has been carried out with a passenger car radial tyre and two different kinds of truck or bus radial tyres using both simulation and experiment. This second part of the paper shows that belt structure plays an important role in the generation of tyre forces and moments in addition to the effects of the tread stiffness and friction coefficients. The theory and method presented in this paper opens a new robust way to predict the tyre forces and moments from the tyre design and provides a reliable model for a generation mechanism.     

Time-optimal control of the race car: influence of a thermodynamic tyre model

The robustness of an existing numerical method for the time-optimal control of the race car is demonstrated through its application to a model of a Formula 1 car equipped with a simplified thermodynamic tyre model. The tyre model includes a temperature- and frequency-dependent model of road/tyre friction. A lumped parameter approach is used to model the thermodynamics of the various parts of the tyre such as the tread, carcass and inflation gas. The influence of tyre, track surface and ambient temperatures on time-optimal manoeuvring is presented.     

Identification of the mechanical properties of bicycle tyres for modelling of bicycle dynamics

Advanced simulation of the stability and handling properties of bicycles requires detailed road–tyre contact models. In order to develop these models, in this study, four bicycle tyres are tested by means of a rotating disc machine with the aim of measuring the components of tyre forces and torques that influence the safety and handling of bicycles. The effect of inflation pressure and tyre load is analysed. The measured properties of bicycle tyres are compared with those of motorcycle tyres.     

沥青路面路表温度预估模型研究

以山东省永久性沥青路面试验路为研究对象,通过在试验路布设气象观测站,在沥青路面结构不同深度处埋设温度传感器,实测了2007—2008年每1 h的路面温度和气象数据。以距路表面20 mm深度处的路面温度作为路表温度,研究了试验路路表温度的分布规律,对路表温度与气温、太阳辐射强度、降雨之间的相关关系进行了计算分析。考虑到降雨对路面材料热学传导参数的影响,分别研究了雨天和晴天(或阴天)两种天气情况下沥青路面路表温度与气温的相关关系,建立了基于晴天(或阴天)和雨天时路表温度的预估模型。分析结果表明,沥青路面的最高温度和最低温度均出现在距路表面一定深度范围内,雨天情况下路表温度与气温存在着密切相关性;晴天和阴天时,前1 h的平均气温和前3 h的平均太阳辐射强度可以较为准确地反映路表温度。路面温度实测值和预测值的对比表明,预估模型具有较高的预测精度和实用性。     

Experimental and numerical analysis of the influence of tyres’ properties on the straight running stability of a sport-touring motorcycle

The behaviour of a motorcycle on the road is largely governed by tyre properties. This paper presents experimental and numerical analyses dealing with the influence of tyre properties on the stability of weave and wobble in straight running. The final goal is to find optimal sets of tyre properties that improve the stability of a motorcycle. The investigation is based on road tests carried out on a sport-touring motorcycle equipped with sensors. Three sets of tyres are tested at different speeds in the presence of weave and wobble. The analysis of telemetry data highlights significant differences in the trends of frequency and damping of weave and wobble against speed. The experimental analysis is integrated by a parametric numerical analysis. Tyre properties are varied according to the design of experiments method, in order to highlight the single effects on stability of lateral and cornering coefficient of front and rear tyres.     

A thermo-frictional tyre model including the effect of flash temperature

A new tyre model is developed that can predict the influence of both macroscopic and local flash temperature on tyre force generation. The model comprises two heat-transfer solvers. A macroscopic solver calculates the 3D temperature distribution across the tread and sidewall at a resolution of a few millimetres. A separate flash-temperature solver calculates the local hot-spot temperature distribution at the macro-asperity tyre-road contact interface at a resolution of micrometres. The two heat-transfer solvers are coupled with a structural model for the calculation of tyre forces and the sliding speed distribution along the contact patch. The sliding speed distribution feeds into the flash-temperature model and the local coefficient of friction is found as a function of sliding speed, flash temperature, normal pressure, road roughness and the complex modulus of rubber. The proposed tyre model is the first to include the effect of a changing macroscopic temperature distribution on the build-up of the local flash temperature, and to account for road-tread conduction at the macro-asperity contact interface. The model is applicable for identifying the friction envelope and optimum temperature range for tyres on roads with known roughness. This is important in motorsport where knowledge of grip offers a competitive advantage.     

基于路面影响因子的轮毂电机驱动车辆自适应转矩控制

为实现轮毂电机驱动越野车辆在附着条件多变、路面起伏不定的复杂环境中动力性和稳定性的多目标优化,提出一种基于路面影响因子的自适应转矩控制策略。以滚动阻力差异、空气阻力归一化比例、坡度阻力归一化比例、路面附着差异方差以及最小路面附着系数5个特征参数作为输入,并基于模糊理论方法搭建路面影响因子五参数辨识模型。基于辨识出的路面影响因子,开发整车动力性和稳定性多目标优化自适应转矩控制策略,构建了三层式控制架构：顶层引入路面影响因子对加速度紧迫程度进行判定,采用模型预测控制算法得到期望总驱动力;中层为目标决策层,以最优滑转率为目标决策驱动防滑力矩,并基于路面行驶阻力,决策期望前馈补偿力矩;下层为转矩分配层,以需求总驱动力及轮胎利用率作为控制目标,引入路面影响因子优化两者权重系数,以多约束条件的混合优化算法对转矩进行自适应控制。利用Matlab/Simulink-CarSim联合仿真平台进行仿真,基于实车进行验证。结果表明,在低附着路面,在0.2 s内快速完成滑转率抑制;在对开路面,侧向位移接近0;在大扭曲路面,避免腾空车轮出现大滑转率,滑转率最高0.2。     

Measurement of stress distributions in truck tyre contact patch in real rolling conditions

Stress distributions on three orthogonal directions have been measured across the contact patch of truck tyres using the complex measuring system that contains a transducer assembly with 30 sensing elements placed in the road surface. The measurements have been performed in straight line, in real rolling conditions. Software applications for calibration, data acquisition, and data processing were developed. The influence of changes in inflation pressure and rolling speed on the shapes and sizes of truck tyre contact patch has been shown. The shapes and magnitudes of normal, longitudinal, and lateral stress distributions, measured at low speed, have been presented and commented. The effect of wheel toe-in and camber on the stress distribution results was observed. The paper highlights the impact of the longitudinal tread ribs on the shear stress distributions. The ratios of stress distributions in the truck tyre contact patch have been computed and discussed.     

轮胎滚动阻力试验系统研究

许多汽车性能试验均在底盘测功机上进行，而轮胎滚动阻力是影确测试精度的重要原因。由于目前我国大多数企业均使用双滚筒式底盘测功机，所以设计双滚筒式测功机上轮胎滚动阻力测试系统，将为台试轮胎滚动阻力特性研究奠定基础。双滚筒式试验台上测试轮胎滚动阻力采用反拖法实现，滚动阻力测试系统由双滚筒式底盘测功机改制而成。通过对加载方式、误差处理方法、系统测试精度等问题的探讨，验证了系统的可靠性和准确性。