Contact modelling of the tyre/road interface
by A.M. Burke, O.A. Olatunbosun
International Journal of Vehicle Design (IJVD), Vol. 18, No. 2, 1997

Abstract: The understanding, modelling and predicting of tyre behavioural characteristics, for both static and dynamic applications, requires the consideration of many detailed aspects of this seemingly simple component. In order to investigate the problem more fully, computer analysis techniques are becoming more common than the simplifications associated with analytical methods. The finite element method is one such technique that enables engineers to examine tyre behaviour comprehensively and to predict tyre performance at the design stage. In order to carry out finite element analysis of tyre behaviour successfully, many modelling difficulties have to be addressed. These include: composite material representation (due to the lamina make-up of a tyre's construction), material nonlinearity, geometric nonlinearity (due to large deflections), and tyre/road contact. Over the years researchers have developed methods to overcome these modelling difficulties, and successful finite element tyre models have become a reality. However, improvements on existing techniques are possible, and furthermore, in some cases a necessity. In this paper, attention is drawn to the problem of tyre/road contact modelling. A purely theoretical approach is presented which gives the analyst more flexibility in changing Parameters such as inflation pressure hub load, and material properties than previously developed experimental/numerical techniques. A gap element formulation is used to model the contact so that contact patch area, shape and deflection are automatically accounted for under a given load and inflation pressure. Modelling and experimental results are also presented to illustrate the accuracy of the technique.

Online publication date: Thu, 29-May-2014

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