Grounding Characteristics of a Non-Pneumatic Mechanical Elastic Tire in a Rolling State with a Camber Angle

Abstract

The invention of the inflatable tire was a great advancement. It brings comfort and convenience to people, but it also brings new troubles such as nailing, leaking, and puncture [1] and [2]. According to the statistics from the transportation department of China, serious traffic accidents caused by tire leakage and bursting accounted for nearly 50 % of the total accidents, especially on expressways [3]. To solve the problem of tire inflation-free and safety, many research and production departments have been devoted to the study of safety tire technology and achieved many positive results [4] to [6]. Michelin launched an inflation-free radial tire called “Tweel”; it is a single unit that replaces the current inflatable tire assembly [7]. Narasimhan et al. [8] analysed the influence of material factors on the vertical stiffness and vibration characteristics of the Tweel during the rolling state. Ma et al. [9] studied the interaction between the Tweel and soil using the finite element (FE) method, and the established model can be utilized to analyse traction characteristics on a particular terrain. Kim and Kim [10] analysed the load-carrying properties and ground pressure of a nonpneumatic tire with a hexagonal honeycomb structure. In addition, the application of leak-proof technology and run-flat tires has also greatly improved the safety of vehicles. The mechanical elastic (ME) wheel investigated in the paper was a non-pneumatic safety tire with catenary structure, and it was developed to improve the mobility and safety of vehicles under harsh environment and driving conditions, such as rugged terrain and macadam pavement [11] and [12]. Since the ME wheel adopts a non-inflatable design, there is no danger of air leakage, puncture, etc. during the rolling process. Moreover, due to the use of a catenary structure, the ME wheel not only has the comfort and manoeuvrability of inflatable tires but also has the durability and damage resistance of airless tires. As the basis of the vehicle system dynamics, many difficulties exist in the study of tire-pavement interaction. This is mainly due to the composite Grounding Characteristics of a Non-Pneumatic Mechanical Elastic Tire in a Rolling State with a Camber Angle Du, X. – Zhao, Y. – Wang, Q. – Fu, H. – Lin, F. Xianbin Du1,* – Youqun Zhao2 – Qiang Wang1 – Hongxun Fu3 – Fen Lin2 1Shandong University of Science and Technology, College of Transportation, China 2Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, College of Energy and Power Engineering, China 3Shandong University of Technology, School of Transportation and Vehicle Engineering, China