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.     

The simulation of in-plane tyre modal behaviour: a broad modal range comparison between analytical and discretised modelling approaches

In-plane tyre modal behaviour determines the response of tyres to ride excitations and braking/traction manoeuvres. In many studies, the interest is limited to relatively low frequencies and a detailed investigation into the ability of models to accurately simulate higher-order responses is unnecessary. In cases where an in-plane model is to be used for the generation of the contact deformation and stresses, or where modal reduction methods are implemented, a detailed knowledge of the modal response is desirable. The present work forms a study on the ability of a number of frequently used modelling approaches to generate realistic modal data throughout a wide frequency range. The analytical ring on elastic foundation model is used as a benchmark throughout the paper. Its predictions are compared with those of two discretised models, namely a truss- and a beam-based model. The sensitivity of the ring’s response to a number of physical parameters is discussed. The results are used to inform the comparison between the analytical ring and the discretised models, providing explanations for any discrepancies observed. The limited applicability of the truss model is pointed out, while the accuracy of the beam-based model is enhanced by a circumferential inextensible string element. Both the ring and the enhanced beam models are further improved with the addition of a nonlinear string-based sidewall that accounts for the change in sidewall stiffness with inflation pressure. The findings may offer a reference when setting up in-plane models, including the stage of planning modal tests for parameter identification.     

Estimation of the tyre–road maximum friction coefficient and slip slope based on a novel tyre model

In this article, a new approach to estimate the vehicle tyre forces, tyre–road maximum friction coefficient, and slip slope is presented. Contrary to the majority of the previous work on this subject, a new tyre model for the estimation of the tyre–road interface characterisation is proposed. First, the tyre model is built and compared with those of Pacejka, Dugoff, and one other tyre model. Then, based on a vehicle model that uses four degrees of freedom, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) method is designed to estimate the vehicle motion and tyre forces. The shortcomings of force estimation are discussed in this article. Based on the proposed tyre model and the improved force measurements, another EKF is implemented to estimate the tyre model parameters, including the maximum friction coefficient, slip slope, etc. The tyre forces are accurately obtained simultaneously. Finally, very promising results have been achieved for pure acceleration/braking for varying road conditions, both in pure steering and combined manoeuvre simulations.     

Normal and shear forces in the contact patch of a braked racing tyre. Part 1: results from a finite-element model

In this first part of a two-part article, a previously described and validated finite-element model of a racing-car tyre is developed further to yield detailed information on carcass deflections and contact pressure and shear stress distributions for a steady rolling, slipping, and cambered tyre. Variations in running conditions simulated include loads of 1500, 3000 and 4500 N, camber angles of 0° and ?3°, and longitudinal slips from 0% to?20%. Special attention is paid to heavy braking, in which context the aligning moment is of great interest. Results generated are in broad agreement with limited experimental results from the literature and they provide considerable insight into how the tyre deforms and how the contact stresses are distributed as functions of the running conditions. Generally, each rib of the tyre behaves differently from the others, especially when the wheel is cambered. The results form a basis for the development of a simpler physical tyre model, the purpose of which is to retain accuracy over the full operating range while demanding much less computational resource. The physical tyre model is the topic of the second part of the article.     

The effect of the inflation pressure of tyres on motorcycle weave stability: experiments and simulation

Increasing the stability of a motorcycle requires an understanding of the optimal conditions of the tyre. The inflation pressure is one of the main parameters that directly affects the tyre properties, which in turn influences motorcycle stability and safety. This paper focuses on the effect of the inflation pressure of the tested tyres on motorcycle weave stability. Experimental data are collected from tests carried out in straight running at constant speed. The data analysis is based on stochastic subspace identification methods. Simulations are performed using an advanced motorcycle multi-body code with parameters measured from the tested vehicle. Finally, the comparison between simulations and experimental tests is discussed. The research results show an agreement between experimental tests and simulations where weave stability increases with inflation pressure for the specified range of tyre pressure.